Return to Irk
by ZoologyKaM
Summary: [Sequel to 'Irken in Love'] Zim comes home from his work to find Kam so distracted she's not even eating her Waffles! What's wrong? Zim's going to be a Daddy! This is good and bad. Afterall, there's a reason Irken smeets are never born off planet. Zim Dib and Kam must head to Irk to get a new PAK for the smeet, but the Tallests are fighting so it won't be easy.
1. 6 o'clock Waffles!

_Hello! And welcome to the sequel to my story 'Irken in Love'. If you have not read the original story you may be confused at some of the personality changes that have happened for our favorite characters. I know I would have been. That's why I wrote the other one first! Haha! Method to my madness. _

_Anyway I hope you enjoy this. First rule to my stories: I don't know where it's going until I get there. So if you think you know what's going to happen then you're a much better guesser than me._

_Sit back! Relax! And enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 1 - 6 o'clock Waffles!

It was around 4AM when Zim awoke, but the earth star was shining brightly into his eyes. That wasn't a surprise though. The only time the moon avoided that star was during a lunar eclipse. He had stopped on the planet's orbiter for a short rest. A star in the local quadrant had recently been sending out large amounts of microwave activity. This had led to a rise in in calls for the rescue and repair service he ran. His earthling partner had created a program to track the output of the problematic star, thus allowing him to avoid sustaining damage to his own ship.

It had been two years since the two of them had gone through the earth ceremony called a 'wedding' and Zim hated every minute that kept him away from her. The only reason he had not rushed home after this last job was the clocks on his home side of the planet. Kam worked hard at the earth labs and he knew she needed all the sleep she could get.

Irkens didn't require the amount of sleep that humans did, but he found the time to be a relaxing habit. It gave him time to organize his thoughts which was an incredibly difficult thing for him. Zim wasn't like most Irkens, as he constantly had to remind himself. He was a Defective. This meant the programing on his I.D. PAK was flawed. And a good PAK was everything to an Irken.

Zim stretched his stiff muscles. He'd been gone for two days. A call had come in from a Vort supply transport ship. The effects of the over-active star had prevented their systems from seeing that asteroid on the side of the ship. It had scraped away a part of their hull. Zim had been forced to fly full speed in order to reach them before the ship imploded.

He missed home. He decided to wait one more hour then return just before the humans normally awoke for their daily morning rituals.

5:54AM Zim docked the Voot Cruiser in the roof of their apparently-small earth dwelling. He hoped he hadn't woken Kam but knew, with how loud docking was, he probably had. He grabbed some broken/spare parts he had gotten from his latest job and took them down to repair deck 5 where he fixed his various robots. Not in the mood to attempt any repairs he took the elevator back up to the dwelling's entrance/kitchen.

Kam was sitting at the kitchen table poking at her waffles. She didn't even notice he had come in. Zim came up behind her and hugged her.

"Oh hey you're back." She said giving him a kiss on the cheek. "How'd it go?"

"Ok. I towed them to a nearby planet so they could balance the ship's atmospheric pressure. From there they pretty much had the tools to do the rest."

"So what'd you get this time?" She was referring to how he was paid. With Zim banished from the Irken empire, and most of the universe running on the Irken monitory system he had to come up with an alternative method of payment.

"Enough fuel cells to run this whole planet for 20 years and some spare robot parts."

"Did they have the one you needed?"

Zim shook his head. GIR needed a new adapter for his artificial intelligence chip. Until Zim found one the poor little robot would just sit in the repair room collecting dust.

"Aww. I'm sorry hun. Well anyway, Dib called yesterday. He says he needs to talk to us about something."

"If it's another ghost I swear I'll use that hallucination ray, and put the setting so high that the monkey actually realizes he's insane…"

Kam just laughed and told Zim even if he tried, it probably wouldn't work. While Kam got dressed Zim got himself ready with his disguise. When they were both ready, they left their abnormal home and headed over to Dib's house. Zim smiling the whole way hopeful he would get to use the ray he had stored in his PAK.

* * *

_I've gotten a little too obsessed with writing lately. I can't help that I find it fun and relaxing! Gah! I should really do some homework! Or sleep... sleep is good too._

_Side comment. I made the picture for this story. I know "Don't Brag!" But I want to! I had fun making that! I drew it in my sketchbook then messed with it on my computer and got awesome colors. Leave a message if it looks good! _

_Chapter 2 comming soon!_


	2. Questions Like Ectoplasm

_Sorry this story is getting going a little slower than the previous one. There's gonna be more to tell. I promise that I think everything I'm writing is sort of important. Stuff usualy ends up relating back to stuff I hinted at earlier._

* * *

"You know we really should add ears to that thing."

"Heh?"

"Your disguise? I mean isn't the ears thing why Dib figured out what you were when you first came here?"

"Ehh… Well the green skin kinda also gave it away. But then again Dib has always just been paranoid. Even while he was chasing me he still managed to spot Bigfoot all over the place and are you ok?"

Kam was holding her stomach. "Yeah just feeling a little sick."

"Should we go back?"

"No, I'm fine."

She said she was fine. That was usually enough for him. Kam was better about taking care of herself than he was. Something just felt off ever since he saw her poking at the waffles. Then again, now that he thought about it, all he'd done lately was poke at waffles. It just reminded him that GIR needed repair. O well, Zim decided they should stop for doughnuts to get their minds off it. Ugh... after going to talk to Dib.

Dib had been crazier than normal lately. Zim thought it had something to do with his growing obsession with Irken tech, which the poor little meat brain still didn't understand. Kam had come home several times in the past week enraged that Dib kept messing with her computers at the lab. Not that it really mattered to Zim but if Dib didn't become… not insane soon, his girlfriend was probably going to dump him.

When they were about a block from Dib's home they heard something explode. _Again with the exploding…_ Zim thought. The two of them ran the rest of the way.

A soot covered Dib came stumbling out of the front door, followed by a black cloud.

"Dib! Are you ok? What happened?" Kam asked.

Dib looked up and smiled. "Oh hey guys! Ah no everythings fine. I was just running some tests on a sample of ectoplasm I found in my basement and well…" He turned back around to look at the smoke ebbing from his house.

"uhh ok..?" Kam was too nice to ask but Zim wasn't.

"Hey earth-stink you called yesterday?"

Dib turned around looking confused. "Huh? Oh! Oh right. Yeah Uhh…" He looked back at the house. "Uhh.. Well I would invite you guys in but the ventilation fans don't seem to be turning on." He ran his hand through his hair. "Well.. uhh… Ok here's the thing. I wanted to ask… well I was thinking…"

"Ugh get on with it already." Zim barely had an attention span to begin with. Listening to Dib only shortened it.

"Right. So…" Dib glanced up and down the street at his neighbor's houses. _Uhoh. The Dib-monkey plans to ask something about Irken technology._

"Ahhh Dib…?" Kam had seen it coming also. "If you're going to ask what I think you are. How about we head back to our house first? Besides it will take some time for yours to air-out anyway."

Dib took another look at his house, laughed and agreed.

When they got back to the base Zim went to grab some snacks, while Kam and Dib sat down in the kitchen.

"So what's this about Dib?" Zim set the snacks on the table and took a bite of his doughnut. Yup. Doughnuts were still the best.

Dib took a deep breath. "IwaswonderingifIcouldtellLor ainethatZimisanalien," He said really fast then looked up at Zim with a big innocent smile on his face.

Zim dropped his doughnut, mouth agape. "Are you nuts!? No! Absolutely not!"

"But…"

Zim extended a laser out of PAK and pointed it at Dib.

"Hunny calm down." Kam said pushing the laser so it wasn't pointing at anyone. "Dib, you know this is a big deal. After those FBI guys were snooping around? That's why we had to remove Irken data from our computers at the lab remember? We can't… Hun put the laser away… we can't afford to be careless."

Zim shuddered and had PAK retract the laser. Most humans were incredibly stupid and wouldn't believe in aliens even if one kicked them in their organs. But there were some, like Dib and Kam, that were actually smart. And two months ago some of these smarter ones had nearly figured out Zim's secret. It had taken everything they had for him and Kam to trick them.

"Ok but if you guys will just let me explain! Things have been getting really serious between us… and well… I was thinking I would ask her to marry me."

This was now the second time Zim's jaw had dropped. He half wanted to congratulate his friend, and half wanted to pull his laser back out. Loraine was a nightmare. Well… she was nice enough. Problem was she loved to gossip. Tell her something in confidence and you could expect the whole planet to know it in less than a week.

"That's great Cuz, but I just don't think telling her is such a good idea. You know how she can be. We just can't risk it right now."

Dib was clearly not thrilled to hear this, but since it was coming from Kam who was less likely to set his hair on fire, he accepted it. "Ok yeah, I guess you're right." Dib sighed and got up from his seat. "I'm gonna head home… see if I can get the vents working." He bid his friends goodbye and shuffled out the door.

"He looked so pathetic just now that I almost felt bad for him." Zim huffed.

"He's not pathetic. He's just got a lot going on right now."

"If you say so."

* * *

_So I might just have to write another one about what happend with the FBI guys. Also don't ask where the name Loraine came from. It popped into my head last night and I thought it sounded like a sensible person for Dib. _


	3. Dib is bored

_This chapter is kind of short sorry. I'm not as adept at thinking like Dib as I am Zim. I'm more the wild random ideas type of crazy vs. Dib's sensible but over-suspisious type of crazy. -shrugs-_

* * *

Dib took the long walk home sighing occasionally. _They have a point I guess…_ Not that he wanted to see it their way. Loraine had been the first person to give him the time of day. Ok so she had a habit of running at the mouth. But Dib was sure that she would be able to keep Zim's secret.

He arrived home and stared at the swirling grey in the windows of his house. Things were too quiet. When he was a kid, after Zim had first arrived, every day had been an adventure. I mean sure they hated each other's guts, and the fate of humanity was on the line every other day, But it was exciting. Back then he had felt like he was accomplishing something.

Ok so maybe he had been constantly made fun of by everyone, and yes after he stopped screaming about aliens he had actually made some friends… BUT STILL! All that time foiling Zim's evil plans, communicating with the swollen eyeballs, working on Tak's ship… it had been fun.

Dib's cellphone rang from his coat pocket. It was Loraine.

"So, guess who is the new corporate face of the only non-poop cola brand of soda in the city."

"You got the job? That's great!"

"Of Course it is. So anyway I decided that tonight we're going to go out to celebrate. Meet me tonight at Le'frenchSnob. That fancy restaurant next to the PizzaHog on Maple Street. 7 o'clock. Don't be late. Ok see ya then!" –click– She hung up on him.

"Uhhh… Ok I guess I'll have to get this cleaned up before then…" Dib pocketed his phone and stared at the house again. "Maybe I could make a super-vacuum… or something…" He sighed. "What's the point in talking to myself if I never have anything useful to say?" and with that he covered his face with his sleeve and stepped into the ashy cloud.

* * *

_Normally I don't think through what I'm going to write. But I now have a plan for Dib. Not sure how I'll make it happen though. Spoilers! Well anyway don't feel too bad for him. Our boy is tough._


	4. News of News

_Sorry again I'll try to get the story going faster. This just seems to be how things are progressing. I wish my style of writing would make up my mind. Fast or slow? I don't know. Here We Go!_

* * *

A week passed with nothing eventful. Kam got sick a couple times which worried Zim enough that he pulled out his old germ-viewer. The house was clean (by earth standards) and she kept insisting she was fine. Zim wanted to fight his point a little but the computer picked up a distress call from a Plookesian merchant freighter. He checked the computer for locations of radiative interference from the star and headed out, but not before making Kam promise to take it easy.

"Ueah well hey buddy thanks for the lift." Xort the Plookesian said. "yeah Turl and I thought we were goners when that solar wave hit us. Hey ain't that right Turl?"

Turl nodded.

"Yeah who would'a thought we'd get picked up by a tow ship, and an Irken one no less."

"Just doing my job." Zim heard about the same thing every time.

"And we appreciate that don't we Turl." Again Turl just nodded. "Yeah well anyway I'm surprised you're out here with all that stuff goin on back on your home world. But yeah I guess if I were you I'd probably want to stay out of it to."

Zim looked up at Xort. "What stuff?"

Xort and Turl looked at each other. "Well gosh I thought everyone knew about that. Well anyway they say that them two Irken leaders got into a bit of a fight. Now I'm not one to care about politics that don't involve me." Plookesia was located in one of the few sectors that eluded the empire's grasp. "But I hear there's talk that their empire might split up."

Zim was shocked to hear this. He had known their Almighty Tallest since they were just normal Irken smeets like himself. Red and Purple had never fought. Then again usually they had been too busy making fun of him.

Zim snapped the last cable in place and the engine roared to life.

"Ah Gee buddy Thanks so much! Hey Turl get the checkbook. Hey you want Irken credits right?"

"No actually I was hoping you had some spare robot parts. Maybe a SIR Unit A.I. adapter?"

"Hmm… Nah I don't think we got one of them. But I'm sure we got sumthin around ya could have."

Their repairs finished and bartering complete, the Plookesians went on their way. Zim sat in his ship for a while just thinking. Their Almighty Tallest were having a fight. If the Irken empire broke up, perhaps he could reconnect with his species. He didn't really miss the constant preparation for war mentality that existed on Irk, but he did miss seeing others like himself. He decided he'd talk to Kam about it when he reached home.

Meanwhile back on earth: Kam sat in that small cramped little room. Why were doctor's offices always so darn cold? It was a few minutes before the nurse came in. She had a big smile on her face.

"Hey how are we doing today?"

"Fine. So what were the results of the tests?"

"Well actually I'm here to give you the good news."

"Good news?"

"Congratulations Mrs. Invader. You're going to be a Mom."

* * *

_I could have almost made a normal length chapter if I had combined these last two. Sorry muh bad!_


	5. Earthen Pregnancy-Slor Beast!

_Sorry this chapter has a lot of dialogue. But hey -shrugs- it's funnier to read then typing all their reactions. I only write like that when only two characters are around anyway. Also typinglikethis with no spaces means the character is talking really fast. _

_Dib you're such a good friend. So cute!_

* * *

Zim docked the ship in the early evening. Kam was in the kitchen preparing such a wide variety of snacks that the Tallests themselves would have blushed with envy.

"Woah." Zim said, happily surprised. "What's the occasion? You couldn't have heard the news already." He went up behind her and gave her a hug

Kam looked up from the food she was preparing. "You knew already?"

Zim looked up with a vegi-straw in his mouth. "Huh? No I just heard about it today. It's not a definite… wait… how did you find out?"

The two stared at each other.

Zim raised one of his non-existent eyebrows, "We're not talking about the same thing are we?"

"Probably not. You go first."

He shrugged. "Well I heard from some Plookesians that the Irken Empire might be breaking up. If that happens I could go home without being destroyed." He smiled like 'isn't that great?' but Kam just stared at him.

"Uhh… that's… that's great Zim." Zim wasn't the best at reading emotions but that didn't very sound excited to him.

"So uh.. What was your news?"

"Nothing major, just that you're gonna be a Dad."

"A what?"

"A Dad?"

Zim stared with a blank look.

"A father?" Kam raised an eyebrow.

Continue blank stare.

"A donor of genetic material in creating an infantile form of life which you will be responsible for raising into a strong adult?"

Zim blinked.

Kam sighed. "Zim I'm pregnant."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"ZIM WHAT!?"

"NO NO! This… That's not good! We… we can't…" Zim put his hands over his antennae trying to calm himself. He had to be able to do something.

"ZIM?! What's wrong?! I thought you would be happy." Kam stared into Zim's large pink eyes, trying to figure out where such fear was coming from.

"No… I am…" He turned and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Truly I am…"

"But?"

"But…" Though he didn't want to frighten her; she deserved to know. "There's a reason that Irken children are never born off planet…"

Now it was Kam's turn for the blank stare. "Irken children aren't born off planet? You never have parents go on… I don't know… space vacation or something?"

"Well actually we don't even have 'parents' as you call them. Irkens are created in a form of test tube, in a factory. There a lot of gene'y scrambly stuff that's involved, and then a robot arm attaches an ID PAK to the smeet's back then gives it an electric shock to activate it." Kam looked confused. "So basically Irkens aren't born they're made, and they can be unmade if their ID PAK is wiped." Zim shuddered remembering the day of The Trial. "In other words, Irkens can't survive without a PAK and you can't get one unless you're on Irk."

"Not born?"

"Nope."

"So was that why things were so awkward at first? Because you didn't know what…"

"AAAAAaaaahhhh! –cough– ehhem… yes that would be why…"

"Things suddenly make so much sense," Kam looked at Zim with new found understanding.

Zim turned around and tugged at the collar of his shirt. Irkens don't sweat like humans but Zim still felt like the room was getting uncomfortably warm. "AHhaha… Yes… that's very interesting LOOK A MOOSE!" For some reason Kam actually looked and Zim fled down the garbage-can-elevator to the underground stretches of their home.

Kam looked back, saw Zim was missing and shrugged. "He'll come up when he's ready."

Down in some far corner of his Irken hidden base Zim did the only thing that made sense. He ran around in circles yelling. But wait! That wouldn't work. GIR wasn't around to join him. He would have to find someone else to converse with.

"Hello?"

"Yeah Hi earth-monkey it's me. You got a minute to talk or are you too busy exploding?"

"Hey! I don't really explode that much… do I?"

"Yes yes your problems are fascinating. LISTEN TO ZIM! Kam told me she's pregnant."

"…So wait you two actually had…"

"NDDDHAAAGG! Enough of your words! Answer me!... What happens when an earthling is pregnant?"

"It means she's going to have a baby."

"Well Duuuh! An eternity of Irken knowledge at my disposal and you think I didn't figure out that much? I meant what is the difference between an earthling and a Slor Beast?"

"What's a Slor Beast?"

"NevermindjustanswermeTellZim whathappens!"

"She gets pregnant, wait 9 months, she has the baby."

"That's it?"

"Yeah… well there's some mood swings and food cravings but other than that… so what's a Slor Beast?"

Zim pondered this for a moment. "Thank you worm-stink you have been helpful,"

"Uhh… yeah sure no problem… so what's a" –click– Zim hung up on him. Pregnancy seemed standard enough. At least humans didn't seem prone to feasting on the innards of their mate like some species. Now as long as he could figure out what to do about obtaining an ID PAK for this new smeet everything would be fine. He hoped.

* * *

_Leave a response if I did a good job bringing back Zim's true personality as per canon. _


	6. Prepare for DOOM! updated

Zim remained in the lab all night. He ran test after test. He studied the inner circuitry of his own ID PAK as well as testing to see how well human and Irken genetics were compatible. Surprisingly tests showed that Irken DNA and Human DNA were more similar than Human and earth Primate DNA (though the human's gestation period would be shortened some). When he saw those results he shrugged and thought nothing about why. It didn't really matter.

_Only the weird author of a fan fiction would care about the 'Why' when something so critical is happening. _Zim thought to himself. Anyway he was still analyzing his PAK. It was proving harder than he had expected. An Irken's PAK was like a second brain, containing all the collective knowledge of past Irkens. He knew from the trial that his PAK had been deemed Defective, but he really couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Sure he had almost wiped out his home planet… and maybe he was personally responsible for the deaths of two Almighty Tallests… and yes he still didn't understand why no one found these things impressive (other than Dib), but why was that caused by his ID PAK?

"This is getting me nowhere. GIR come here I need to analyze your…" He stopped when he realized what he was saying. "Oh right. Your broken. Computer! Find the schematics for an Irken PAK." _Even if I can't understand it, if I read the blu-prints I should be able to make one. _

Flashing Irken writing popped up on the screen. It read 'Access Denied.'

"Access denied? But who would want to keep Zim from such vital information?" Oh right Red and Purple. "Computer begin hacking procedures."

More Irken text came up on the screen:

The information you are intending to access  
has been classified by the Irken Military.  
Cease your attempts or prepare to have your  
entire computer destroyed.  
You have 5 seconds to leave this page or  
an energy spike will wipe all computer systems  
in the immediate vicinity.

Thank you for your interest in Irken Conquest. Prepare to be destroyed!

"Huh? NO!" Zim yelled and leapt to the off switch, a second too late. Sparks flew from the computer. And Zim's base was plunged into black.

That day the humans would hear a story that a giant mutant squirrel had tried to dance across the power lines but was too fat and that was what had caused the entire city to lose power.

"Hey Kam. How is he?"

"Not so good. I wish you could go down to talk to him but you would have to climb down the elevator shaft."

Dib walked over and looked at the hole under the raised couch. It was a long way down and very dark. "I think I'll just wait until he comes up."

It was a few hours before Zim finally did emerge from the ruins of his base. Everything with a computer in it short of his PAK was completely fried. Nothing worked. Not even the Voot Cruiser.

"Ruined." Zim slumped down at the table next to his friends. "Everything… destroyed. So many components are damaged that I'd be better of replacing the whole system."

Kam came behind Zim and hugged him.

"Zim if you need computer components I'm sure the lab would have whatever you needed." Dib said trying to sound cheery. He knew that Irken computers were made of materials not found on Earth.

Zim shook his head. "The house's central brain was completely wiped. Even if I could repair the hardware from stuff on this planet I wouldn't be able to reprogram the whole system. It would take years to recollect the data that I lost."

Kam hugged him tight. "It'll be ok. We'll get through this."

Dib blinked and asked what had seemed obvious to him, "Why don't you just go back to Irk and get a new computer?"

"Well for one, I'm banished and I don't feel like being destroyed… besides the Voot Cruiser was linked with the house's computer when the spike hit. It won't fly anymore."

"You could use mine."

"Your what?"

"My ship."

"what ship?"

"That one I was building off of Tak's schematics."

Zim and Kam looked at each other then back at Dib.

"Correct me if I'm wrong Dib-stink, but didn't that thing nearly kill you?"

"Yeah I know. But I fixed it."

Meanwhile far away:

"Sir someone was attempting to hack our computer system. We sent an energy spike to destroy their computers."

The Irken Staff Sergeant turned to look at the soldier that had said this. "Everything was destroyed correct?"

"Yes Sir. Scans show no signs of advance computer systems left within the sector." He handed his leader a paper showing the results.

The Staff Sergeant's purple eyes grew wide as she scanned over the paper. "This says the user was working with Irken operating systems. Explain this."

"Sir. We noticed that as well. The system was several years out of date and had not linked up with the Headquarters in quite some time. There is the potential that these were systems used by a former Invader. It would explain why the systems would be left un-attended for so long."

The Staff Seargent nodded. "Do you have a location for where the hacking attempt originated from?"

"Yes Sir. It's a sector on the outskirts of the Empire. There is very little information about this area but we did find the name of the planet in question. It's a small planet called 'Earth'. No data exists other than the name and an 'off –limits' warning label."

"Thank you Corporal, I already know plenty about this planet. You're dismissed."

The Irken Corporal saluted his superior and excused himself.

Alone now, the purple-eyed Irken sat staring out the window at the Irken Smeet Farming facility she had been put in charge of. She had no idea why he would have done it, but Tak was not about to let Zim ruin her life for a second time.

* * *

_Oooo! Bet you didn't see that comming!_

_Not all hope is lost! The plot pushes forward! _


	7. Does and Don't Look Normal

"It's made entirely out of parts found on earth, with the exception of the power core and it's stabilizers, I stole those from your lab back when you were still trying to destroy the world. It wasn't until recently that I knew what they were though." Dib said in his defense as Zim glared at him. It would take at least a month if not longer to repair the Voot Cruiser, and if Zim planned to reach Irk before the smeet was born, he would have to leave right away. He didn't like relying on shotty human craftsmanship but there wasn't much other choice.

Zim pulled a portable scanner out of his PAK and started going over the ship. It was larger than a typical Invader's ship. Zim wanted to be sure Dib's alterations hadn't compromised the structure. Things seemed in order at first glance but he wanted to make extra sure. Ten minutes of searching and he still found nothing obviously wrong with the ship.

"Have you taken this on a test flight?"

"Nooo. Of course I havn't. Psshh after what happened last time who would be crazy enough to… ok yeah I have. It worked fine. I didn't actually fly it far though."

"So you didn't test it in space?"

"No. That I actually didn't do."

Zim continued scanning the ship for any abnormalities or flaws. He climbed inside to check the controls. Other than the fact that Dib had translated everything into English, the layout was the same as Zim was used to. No wiring problems. The computer worked fine. Navigation was limited to this planet but he had a spare navigation chip from GIR that he could install.

"Not bad earth-stink. Everything looks to be in the right places. Now all that's left is to take it on a test flight into space."

"Alright! I'll grab my camera." Dib started to leave but metal robot arm picked him up by the back of the shirt.

"Actually I think it would be better if you wait here while I test it."

"WHAT?! But why?"

"Were something to go wrong I could protect myself with my PAK," Zim said retracting the metal arm, "but you're weak and would probably die."

"But…" Dib's phone started ringing.

"And now you're busy so I'll just go take care of this while you do that."

Dib rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah ok I guess so." He went inside to get the phone while Zim kept working.

"Heya my little UFO. I got a surprise for you. I'm gonna swing by in a bit. Hope you're not too busy."

Dib looked back toward his work room. Zim wasn't wearing his disguise.

"Uhh.. sure. No I'm not busy. Umm… How soon before you'll be here?"

"Oh I'm only a few blocks away. I'll be there in a minute or so."

Dib dropped the phone and ran to the workroom door. "Zim! Problem!"

Zim put on his lenses and wig while Dib hastily covered the ship trying to make it look like a pile of random junk. He had just finished when the doorbell rang.

"Hey Loraine. Come on in. You remember Zim right?"

"Hey babe," Loraine kissed him on the cheek as she walked past through the door. "Yeah, like I could really forget the green freak with no ears. Eww, Gross! Why does it smell like smoke in here?"

Oh yeah that was why Zim didn't like Loraine. He hardly saw her that often and he really didn't care so he had forgotten why he avoided her. "Well I can see you two have a lot to talk about, I'll stop back over later."

Dib put a hand out to stop him. "Actually this is as good a time as any. Loraine dear,"

"Time for what?" Zim asked. Dib didn't even stop talking to answer.

"Zim has to take a trip back to his home and,"

_NO YOU STUPID EARTH MONKEY I'LL SHOOT YOU!_ But to Zim's surprise Dib managed to completely avoid saying the word 'alien' as he explained to Loraine that Zim was going to get supplies for his new baby and Dib was going along to help.

Loraine listened but didn't seem thrilled with the idea. "You're going to be gone how long?"

"uhh good question… Zim?"

"Well it's about a 6month trip normally I don't know how long it will take in your rustbucket."

"What the hell am I supposed to do for 6 months?"

Zim pointed out it would actually be a year round trip, but that only made Loraine further annoyed. It was when she started screaming about assorted things that Zim took the chance to slip out and call Kam.

"Hey hun. How's the ship? Will you be able to fly it?"

"Mmm… Probably. Things look ok from most of my scans. I may fix up some structural issues with parts from the Voot Cruiser but that will have to wait until Dib grows a spine."

"Loraine is there?"

"Yup."

"You know maybe we should just tell him…"

"We talked about this. If she makes him happy who cares if she's just after his money. I've known him, good and bad, for long enough to know there's no human female that would ever like him. He found one that will deal with him."

"Yes but you also thought no human female would ever like you. Maybe you're wrong about Dib too."

"Not likely. Oh hang on here he comes. The monster must have left. I'll call you after I get back from testing the ship." As Dib walked over, Zim turned to find his friend with the strangest look on his face. "What's wrong with you?"

"Loraine broke up with me."

"Uhh… Aren't you supposed to look… I don't know… Sad or something?" Last time Dib had gotten rejected he had looked depressed. He did not look depressed this time.

Dib shrugged. "I probably should, but I'm not."

Zim patted his friend on the shoulder and the two went in to prepare the ship for a test flight.

* * *

_Dib fan girls rejoice! Loraine the B with an itch left Dib and Our Heroic Paranormal Investigator DIDN'T CARE! _

_I never liked her anyway. Besides this leaves so many options for messing with Dib during the trip to Irk. BUAHAHAHAHA-Cough- Ahahaha -cough- -hack- hehe... yeah. _


	8. Prepare for Launch!

The test flight went off without a hitch. With a small amount of rewiring and one of the fuels cells he'd gotten from work, Zim was able to boost the speed of the engines and reached the moon in only a couple minutes. Not as fast as his Voot Cruiser but close enough. A call came in from earth. It was Dib.

"How's it going?

"Surprisingly Dib you didn't do too bad. It only took a few modifications and it's almost up to Irken standards. It should be safe enough to take to Irk but it's slower so the trip will take an extra month or so… and are you even listening earth-stink?"

Dib was dancing around like GIR with a taco. Evidently he was ecstatic that he had gotten the ship to work. "Huh. Oh yeah ok. Well 7 months isn't bad for crossing the universe. Will we have to make stops along the way for refueling or stuff?"

"No I have enough fuel cells to get us there, though we will need to get more before we come back. This ship uses more energy than a refined Irken Cruiser would. Also, I am a little worried about the lack of a weapons system. Is there a reason you did not include one?"

Dib stared at the screen for a moment. "Well one you were monitoring the planet for energy signatures for super weapons. You would have made me stop building it if you had known. Second there really aren't good materials for weapons to match with the capabilities of a space ship. I was more concerned with getting it to fly."

Fair enough. Dib was right about Zim keeping an eye on the locations of super weapons across the planet. He didn't want to have another Irken with a grudge showing up without him knowing.

"Ok well I'll be back in an hour or so. I'm going out to the asteroid belt to run a few more tests."

It was late into the Earth night before Zim was satisfied that the ship was safe enough for Dib and Kam to ride it. He returned home and docked the ship in Dib's back yard. When he went inside to announce his return Kam was there. She ran to give him a hug.

"The ship is safe enough. We just need to gather some supplies and we can leave."

"About that…" She said. "Dib told me the trip will last 7 months. Is there no way to go faster?"

Zim held her at arm's length and looked at her. "Faster? Why? That should be plenty of time."

"Umm well…" Kam looked nervous. "Here's the thing. I used the lab to do some scans because I wasn't feeling well and not the normal morning sickness unwell."

"And?"

"And… The scan says that I'm 2 months pregnant. But it's only been 5 weeks."

"Oh yeah about that. Due to the mix of Irken and Human DNA the growing period for the baby will end up shortened. I found that out two nights ago before the power blew."

"Umm… Hunny? How long will it be shortened to?"

"Aproximately 5 and a half months."

"And it's going to take how many months to get to Irk?"

"7 to 8. Why?"

Kam sighed. "Think about it for a second dear. We need to get there before the baby is born in 4 months and 2 weeks. But it will take us 7 months to get there." Kam and Dib sat waiting for the thought to sink in.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

"Finally," Dib scoffed.

"BUT THAT MEANS!"

"Yes that means we need to leave now. Kam and I have been gathering supplies while you were gone. Let's get everything on board and leave."

They were in such a rush to get loaded up that Zim didn't even bother with caution. He used PAK, hover carts, anything he could to get everything on faster. In less than an hour the ship was packed and ready to go. Three bunks were in a back room off of the bridge and kitchen. Zim helped Kam to one of the bunks for the exit of the atmosphere. He and Dib went to the cockpit.

"Alright! My second time into outer space and I'm not even fighting to defend the world this time!" Dib was thrilled.

"You do realize,"Zim said to him as he began the launch procedures, "that we're on our way to sneak onto the heavily armed home planet of the universe's most powerful race of sapient beings whose sole purpose is for conquest and destruction, right?"

"I know but I'll finally see the idiots that sent you to my planet, to thank them for sending my best friend."

Zim laughed, "You're an idiot you know that?" Then he activated the thrusters and they were off.

* * *

_From now on there will be a countdown at the beginning of every chapter with the Days left. This is for the sake that I don't have to go back and figure it out later._ **This is the # of days at the time of the launch. **_Of course it's all in Earth days._

Time Untill Baby: 18 weeks = 126 days

Time to Reach Irk: 28 weeks= 196 days

* * *

_And so begins the journey home. Zim has not seen his home planet in 10 earth years. Which I assume are longer than Irken years. Alot has changed since he was back, and his home is currently at war with itself. With less than 5 months to reach their destination, will our trio make it in time? and if they do will they find an old friend standing in their way?_

_ZOMG THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME!_


	9. Height of the Situation

_Alright time for me to __**explain this numbering system**__ and how it will decrease as they move forward!_

_The Baby is self explainitory. It's the lenght of time untill the end of the gestation period for the earth smeet._

_ETA Irk is the time that was expected to take to reach Irk from the current location in space if they were __**traveling at the speed Zim had originally deemed safe**__ for the earth/irk hybrid ship to travel. Because they are traveling at a greater speed, they are managing to cover a distance expected to take 11 days in only 7 days. _

_For every 1 week decrease in the Baby time there will be 11 days down in the ETA Irk time._

* * *

_Chapter 9: Height of the Situation_

Baby: 15.8 weeks; 111 days  
ETA Irk: 173 days

They had been flying for 15 earth days. Zim hadn't left the controls for even a moment. In order to close the gap in time he had set the thrusters as high as he could without letting them go critical. At this speed they would reach Irk with about 2 days until the baby's due date. He only hoped the baby would wait longer.

"Zim maybe you should go get some rest. I can watch the controls for a while." Dib said coming through the door that separated the living quarters and the bridge.

"No Dib… I need to be here incase anything goes wrong. We can't afford any mistakes."

Dib sat down in the chair next to his friend. Irkens may not require as much sleep but they did require some. Dib and Kam had barely been able to talk Zim into looking away long enough to eat. "So there's no way I could convince you?" He asked. Zim stared out the windshield without answering.

"You know we're both worried about you. It won't do any of us much good if something goes wrong but you're too tired to do anything about it."

Zim just continued staring on ahead.

Dib sighed and got up. He left through the door back to the cabin where Kam was waiting for him. She looked up as he came in. Dib shook his head. "No luck. The stubborn green sack of goo wouldn't even look away long enough to talk to me."

"I guess it's my turn to try then." She started to get up but Dib waved her off.

"Give him a chance to think about what I said, and then try," he told her. Kam reluctantly nodded.

Zim sat in the pilots chair his eyes getting heavy. The first, and only, time he had made this trip was when the Tallest had sent him, ignorant of their motives, off to the far ends of space hoping he would perish. It had been a long 6 month trip, and he hadn't even been going full speed. Zim smiled as he remembered how GIR had annoyed him so much with that silly Doom Song. He felt a twinge of guilt, remembering the little robots current state.

Zim shook his head fighting both the memory and his tiredness. _I guess I have been awake for some time now. _It was strange to think about. On the trip to earth he had only slept a few times, and certainly not after only 15 days of flying. That strange little planet had done more than just change his outlook on life.

Kam walked in distracting him. She looked like she had a question and she did.

"Hey so Dib was explaining some things to me about Irken society, and he said status and power is based on height."

"Yeah that's right. The Almighy Tallest are the rulers of the Irken Empire."

"Ok, so here's my question. How tall are they?"

"Just over 6 earth feet I would guess."

"Ok and how tall are you?"

"3.1 earth feet."

Kam raised an eyebrow. "Uhh… When was the last time you measured yourself?"

"Back when I first arrived on earth. I needed to know it for enrollment at the skool. Why?" Zim spared a glance over at Kam. She had her hand cupped over her mouth trying not to laugh. "What?"

"Havn't you noticed you've grown?"

"No I havn't." Kam's struggle became harder because Zim was dead serious with what he said next. "I've been comparing my height to Dib over the years and I'm still the same height as him."

Dib came in when he heard Kam laughing. "He really didn't notice?"

Zim glanced back at the two of them confused. "Notice what?"

Kam was failing to compose herself so Dib explained.

"What I don't get," Dib said when he was finished. "Is how you didn't notice how tall you had gotten."

Kam managed to stop laughing long enough to say, "He didn't notice because he's been comparing himself to you this whole time. And you've both been growing at the same rate."

Dib was speechless. He stared back between Kam and Zim trying to figure out if she was serious or not. "Did he not notice he passed me up by half a foot?" Kam burst out laughing again.

Zim quickly double checked the auto pilot then got up and stood next to Dib. Zim was indeed taller than the earthling. He went back and sat down again, rather confused. "So wait. How tall am I then?"

Dib shrugged. "I'm 5'7". You're probably 5 to 7 inches taller than me so I'd say 6' to 6'3". You seriously never noticed? It's been what? Three years since I stopped growing?"

"He never noticed even though that was the only reason that other Irken was willing to come to our wedding. What's his name? Skooge? He came cause I showed him how much Zim had grown since he first came to the Earth." Kam said wiping tears from her eyes. Fighting to not start laughing again.

Zim's eyes grew wide as the realization hit. He was probably as tall as the Almighty Tallests. Kam took advantage of Zim's moment of confusion and talked him into going to get some rest. While Kam and Dib watched the helm, Zim went back to lay down, his head buzzing with thoughts of what his newfound height would mean. For a short time Zim didn't fear what would happen when they reached his home.


	10. Where's a Truck Stop?

Baby: 15.7 weeks; 110 days  
ETA Irk: 172 days

Zim awoke after a few hours feeling very well rested. He found Kam in the eating area sitting at the table writing in a book. Glancing at it he saw the writing was a mix of English and Irken. She hid it under her arm then closed it, when she saw him come over.

"Hey. Shouldn't you still be sleeping?"

"Don't insult me. Irkens don't require the excessive amounts of sleep that you humans do." He said as he smiled and gave her a hug. "Dib's watching the controls?" Kam nodded. "Ok well I guess I'd better go take them back before something happens."

"Before you go," Kam tugged on the back of his Irken uniform, "there's something we should talk about." Zim perked an antanae in a questioning look. Kam took a breath and continued, "What is the plan for when we reach Irk? You told Dib the planet is heavily armed. We obviously can't fight them. So how are we going to get onto the planet? Will they just let us land?"

Zim gave her a blank stare for a moment then said, "I really have no idea. I haven't been home in so long I really don't know if security has changed at all." Zim kissed his wife on the cheek, "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you guys. As for the rest of it, we have a long trip left so it's better you not worry yourself over it." Kam kissed him on the lips and pulled him into a warm embrace. He told her not to worry but she knew that it was all he would be doing.

Baby: 12.8 weeks; 90 days  
ETA Irk: 140 days

Three weeks passed with galaxies passing by. Zim was used to long flights like this from back when he was being used as a soldier drone, but as the days went by he felt his human shipmates getting more and more on edge. Kam and Dib had gotten into a fight just a few hours ago which ended only when Zim stepped in the middle and received a black eye and a bruised antennae. Kam kept apologizing but Zim didn't really want to hear it.

While the two of them were busy in the back Zim used the computer to search for planets with atmospheres suitable for the humans to survive on. They all could use a break from the non-stop flying. He finally found one about an hour out of their way. The spike had fried his computer systems but had not wrecked GIR's external memory drive. Zim skimmed through the data from his iPad (Irken Planetary Acquisition Database).

Planet: Xylferk  
Mass: 6.1082x1024 kg (just larger than earth. Hopefully the increased gravity wouldn't crush the humans.)  
Life forms: Flerkroisians – short orange skinned creatures of average intelligence. A generally peaceful species. Technological capabilities are limited to the surrounding galaxy.

Irken influence: Invader Assigned  
-Invader Sploorche

Avoiding the Invader wouldn't be too difficult. It was a large enough planet. All Zim had to do was scan the planet to find the farthest point from the Irken power signature that would be the Invader's base of operations.

Kam and Dib came in to see what was wrong when they felt the ship take a change of direction. "We're going to stop for a short rest at a nearby planet," Zim explained. "As much as I find haste important I know even more surely that I will not be able to stand either of you if you continue fighting like a couple of juvenile Vortian Aldersmorches."

The humans were so grateful for the chance to get some fresh air that Dib didn't even question what an aldersmorch was.

They arrived at the planet before too long. Sitting in the upper atmosphere Zim did a scan for the location of the Irken base. A light started blinking on the communications panel.

"But who could be calling us?" Dib asked out loud.

"It's either the Irken Invader assigned to this planet or the planet's own border patrol." Zim told him flatly. He traced the signal to find the source. It was the Flerkosians. Zim turned on the speakers but kept his transmission to audio only.

"Your ship is emitting an Irken frequency, explain your presence or prepare to be destroyed." Well so much for going unnoticed.

Zim allowed the video to be transmitted. "We're just travelers. We were hoping to stop on your planet for a short rest."

"Irken filth," the Flerkosian scoffed. "Why would we allow this. Your people have been after our planet for years. Destroying our homes and families, as if we could believe one of you would have such an innocent motive. Leave now."

"Wait! Please!" Kam leaned over in front of the screen, blocking Zim from sight. "It's true. Two of us on this ship are not Irken. If we promise to keep an eye on him could you please let us land?" Zim leaned around her so he could barely see the moniter.

The Flerkosian made a sound that Zim's PAK told him was one of disbelief. "An Irken traveling with members of another species?" He laughed, "Well judging from how you just shoved him out of the way I can assume you aren't conquered slaves. Very well. Coordinates are being transmitted to your ship. You are to dock in this area and nowhere else. Failure to do so will result in immediate retaliation. Understood?"

"Yes sir! Thank you so much." Kam leaned back as the transmission was ended.

Zim checked for the coordinates and turned the ship in the proper direction for a smooth entry to the atmosphere. A thought occurred to him. "How did you two know what she was saying?"

Kam's eyes opened wide. "That was a she?"

"Yes now explain how you were able to speak with her? I can understand them having a universal translator but this ship does not. I have my ID PAK. So what did you have?"

Dib and Kam shared a guilty glance. "We kind of used scans of your PAK to build a universal translator for humans at the lab. Dib took the scans one of the times you stayed overnight working on a project with him." Kam pulled her hair back to show a large pointy looking ear piece.

"YOU DID WHAT!?"

Dib put his hands up in a 'Don't Shoot me!' fashion as one of Zim's mechanical spider arms slid up ready to stab through his throat. "Oh come on Zim," Dib stuttered nervously, "In the end it's a good thing right? They never would have agreed to let us land if Kam hadn't talked to her."

Zim glared at Dib, "Earth-stink remind me to destroy you later," then he turned back to piloting the ship down through the lower atmosphere.

* * *

_**How does Kam speak Irken? **__I finally answered that question I knew was going to bug me later on. Dib could have learned to speak Irken and so could Kam but she probably wouldn't know it as well because she wouldn't obsessivly study it like Dib might. _

_Even by going with the assumption that Irken and English happen to have the infinately rare possiblity to be almost the same language, I knew they would stop on a different planet at some point. No way I would let them go 5 months without anything crazy happening._


	11. You are the Enemy

Chapter 11- You are the Enemy

Baby: 12.8 weeks; 90 days  
ETA Irk: 140 days

The computer lead them to the coordinates they were given and they touched down on a large landing space. The area was a disaster. Buildings with smashed windows and holes in the walls were everywhere. Smoke could be seen rising from the horizon. The sight terrified the three travelers. Kam clung to Zim's arm. Her hands felt cold.

"What could have happened here?" She asked, her voice shaking.

Zim squinted and glanced around out of the windows. Then he turned to the computer and ran a scan for signs of life. There was only one within a 20 mile radius of them.

"Maybe we should just go." Dib was looking around worried as well.

Zim opened up the main hatch and jumped out.

"Zim! What are you doing? This isn't good we should just leave here." Kam yelled after him as he started walking away. In the end she and Dib must have jumped out to follow him because they caught up to him before he had gone too far. "Zim! Are you out of your mind! They could be waiting to attack us…"

"Shush." Zim hushed her and stared at the scanner he had extended from his PAK. Once they were quiet the humans were able to hear what Zim's antennae had picked up from farther away. It sounded like a child crying. Zim rushed off to where the sound was coming from with Kam and Dib close behind. They came to a pile of rubble. The crying was coming from underneath it.

"Oh my god… Hello! Is someone in there?!" Kam ran up to the pile and tried to move stuff out of the way."

"Help! Is someone there!? Please Help! I'm trapped!"

"Move." Zim pushed Kam out of the way and with the help of his PAK began shoving aside the rubble. Searching with his scanner he found the fastest way to get the child out. "Dib when I lift this one reach in and grab the child." Dib nodded and moved in closer. It took all 6 of Zim's robotic arms to budge the rock. As soon as there was enough space Dib jumped in to grab the kid.

There was an explosion and Dib was thrown from the hole. Zim and Kam looked in horror as he slammed into the wall behind them and crumbled to the ground. A second later a SIR robot leapt from the hole, dragging a small Flerkosian by the back of its shirt. The robot's weapons pointed right at them.

"Scanning…. Irken life form detected…. Irken Master, step away from the alien target." It said to Zim.

"STOP! This life form is not a threat to your mission! Neither is that child! Put it on the ground now!"

The SIR unit stared at Zim for a moment. "Negative." It said. Its red eyes thinned into an aggressive glare. "Phase 3 has been activated! Eliminate all non-Irken life in preparation for arrival of the Fleet. This Flerkosian adolescent is the enemy. The life form behind you is the enemy. Stand aside Irken Master or you to will become the enemy."

"Zim… Now what?" Kam stood behind Zim who had his robotic arms extended, ready to activate a shield at a moment's notice.

Zim looked around desperately. Coming up with a plan was never his strong point, but he needed one… Now!

"Irken Master! This is your final warning. Step away from the enemy." The robot pulled a laser from its head and pointed it directly at Kam.

"Wait!" Zim yelled. "This one isn't the enemy! It's my… My Alien Slave! Yeah that's it… and that child there. I was going to make it my slave also. So if you could be so kind as to release it to me."

The robot paused. Kam gave Zim a look that clearly said 'this plan had better work or you're dead for calling me that.'

"Sir protocol does not permit slaves to be taken until after completion of the mission."

"Of course I know that. However this is different. The Almighty Tallests sent me here directly to bring them a new slave. You don't want to get your master in trouble with the Tallests do you?"

The robot stared at Zim and Kam for a while. Right when they were sure it wasn't buying their story, it tossed the child down in front of them. "My master has ordered a sweep of this area. Irken Master, you should return to your vessel and leave."

"Yes. Yes I will do that." Zim and Kam shared a sigh of relief when the robot flew away. Kam ran to the child while Zim went to grab Dib. He had gash on his forehead which Zim used his PAK to quickly seal. They grabbed the two and fled back to the ship. Once on board they wasted no time in taking off. They were a safe distance from the robot when Zim set to work back-tracking the Flekosian signal they had received earlier. He hacked it and connected to the one they had talked to prior.

"What? You!? How'd you get through to this line?"

"That's not important right now. We have one of your children aboard. It's injured. Send coordinates for the nearest medical facility."

She sat straight upon hearing this. "Injuries? How?"

"I don't know." Zim lied. "The whole place is in ruins. I scanned but there are no other signs of life in the vicinity. Now are you going to help us save this child or not!?"

"And let you find another city to destroy? I don't think so! If you think I'm that stupid then you…" They heard a voice speaking to the communications operator. She turned back to the screen calmer, "Alright I'm sending you coordinates."

Soon as he saw them, Zim turned the ship and hit the throttle, a thought haunting the back of his mind. _I was sent to do that to Earth._

* * *

_Things keep getting more and more intense!  
Zim has seen the final result of an Invader's mission. This is what he had tried to do. How will this thought change Zim? Omg the tension is killing me! _

_Dammit! This is why I havn't been getting enough sleep lately!_


	12. Dib's New Friend

_With them stationary on the planet, the Baby time will continue to decrease but the ETA Irk will not, because they're not getting any closer. Remember Zim said they had 2 extra days untill the babies due date right?_

* * *

Chapter 12 – Dib's New Friend

Baby: 12.7 weeks; 89.5 days  
ETA Irk: 140 days

It was morning before Dib regained consciousness. What happened? His head was throbbing. He remembered he was supposed to grab the trapped kid but then… nothing.

Dib winced in pain as he tried to sit up. His whole body felt like he'd been smashed into a brick wall. He looked around trying to figure out where he was. Must be some kind of hospital. Kam was sound asleep on a nearby bed. Zim was nowhere to be seen. There was a small alien in the bed on the other side. Was that the child they had tried to save?

Dib lifted his blankets to see how bad it was, but it mostly looked like bruises so he pushed himself up again and ignored the pain. It was dark in the room but there was a light on out in the hall. He decided he would go try and see who was around. _Just remember not to scream alien._ Dib told himself looked around but there was no one in sight. His sore muscles screamed at him but he thought he heard some voices. He needed to figure out what was going on.

A little ways down there was a door cracked open. The people inside were talking in hushed voices. _Hey that one voice sounds like Zim! Oh good someone I know that's awake._ Dib reached for the handle.

"Look I know we're asking a lot of you… but you could save us from all of this! You saw for yourself what your kind is doing!" The Flerkosian sounded upset but Dib didn't have on his translator so he didn't know what was being said. He only got a clue to the conversation because he had learned Irken when he was younger.

"…I know… and I'm sorry. But to overthrow the Tallests…" Zim's voice got quiet and Dib couldn't make out what he was saying. Overthrow the Irken leaders? Zim? But that would mean Zim would have to stay on Irk… He wouldn't just leave his family like that would he? Dib was so distracted he didn't notice someone walk up to open the door.

"Dib?" Zim stood there, pink eyes staring at his wounded friend. _Did he hear?_ Zim wondered. "What are you doing out here? You should've stayed in bed." Zim took Dib by the arm and started leading him down the hall. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Dib lied. He saw the Irken's shoulders relax a bit.

Zim turned and smiled the fakest smile Dib had ever seen, "Nothing. Never mind." Dib let himself be led back down the hall to the room. When they got back Kam was awake sitting by the Flerkosian child who was also awake. When Zim and Dib walked in Kam pointed to the two of them and told the child they were the ones that saved her.

The little alien girl threw off her blankets and clambered out of the bed that was taller than her, and ran over to hug Zim on the leg. "Thanks for saving me mister!" Zim was embarrassed. He wasn't really sure how to react. People didn't normally thank him for anything. He patted the child on her head then pealed her off his leg and told her Dib was the real hero. He gave Dib a look that said 'your problem now' and went over to greet Kam.

Dib stood there barely able to walk on his own with a little alien child hugging him on the leg. He had once thought all aliens were evil? Seriously? It took a lot of his strength but he manged walked over to the bed with the child clinging to his leg. The alien girl made some noises Dib assumed were the equivalent of giggling. Dib leaned down and lifted her onto the bed, then sat himself down next to her, his muscles throbbing.

The alien girl made some noises then looked up at Dib expectantly. Dib glanced over a Zim for help and saw him laughing.

"She asked if you were a super hero." Zim told him. Dib looked back down at her unsure how to respond. "Relax Dib, she has a translator."

Dib smiled and looked back at the child. "No I'm not a superhero. I'm an alien!" He had always wanted to say that. The child didn't look impressed.

"There's lots of aliens." She informed Dib, using Zim to translate. "you just look funnier than most."

Dib raised an eyebrow. "I look funny?"

Zim laughed so hard at the child's next words Dib had to wait for a translation. When Zim had finally composed himself he wiped the tears from his eyes and said, "She said 'your head is really big.' Such a smart kid."

The conversation continued for a while like this. Dib talking to the child and getting her words translated through Zim. The fun was brought to a halt when a Flerkosian in a neatly pressed uniform came in. He said a few things to Zim then some of the men behind him went to Kam and Dib.

"Relax." Zim told them, "They're going to install translators for you guys."

It felt like he was stabbed by a needle behind his ear as something imbedded itself under his skin. The alien grabbed his hand as he reached up to rub the throbbing area. "Don't touch it. You'll mess with the frequency." Hey! Dib understood that!

A nurse came over to the child. "I'll take her into another room."

The little alien looked sadly at Dib. "Will you come to play with me sometime?" she asked him. Dib smiled and said he would try his best. A giant smile crossed her face, "My name's Mal! Don't forget it and make sure you try. She climbed off the bed and let the nurse take her by the hand. As she was being lead out the door by the nurse she turned to the General and said "That's my new friend!" The general smiled and ushered them out the door.

Once they were gone he turned to Zim. "Should you explain or should I?" Zim just waved him on. "Very well," turning to Dib and Kam he said, "First off we want to thank you. That child owes you all her life. And it may have taken longer to find out where that damned robot was if you hadn't called. Now on to business. Your friend here has agreed to help find and eliminate the one destroying our cities."

* * *

_Zim is willing to hunt down one of his own? Oh snap! This is an experiance and rather successful invader we're talking about. How easy will that really be?_


	13. Listen to the Stereo

Chapter 13 – Listen to the Stereo Tonight

Baby: 12.7 weeks; 89 days  
ETA Irk: 140 days

Kam and Dib stared at Zim in disbelief. Zim avoided their eyes. He realized he had just agreed to hunt down one of his own kind. He knew that it would mean this invader, who was just following orders and protocol, would probably be killed. But every time he thought about just leaving he thought about his life on earth, and about his unborn child. What if the Empire one day decided to come and conquer Earth? He couldn't even think about it without putting his squeedlyspooch in a knot. If he left this planet it would be the same as destroying it himself. _I'm not the Irken drone I once was. _He told himself.

Kam came up behind him and hugged him gently. The General just continued speaking.

"We know that the Irken invader sends out his robot to a different large city each time. It starts with a large bomb to cause mass damage then it scans for life and destroys what it finds. From what we just learned from you," He said indicating Zim, "it won't immediately attack if it find the life form is Irken. We may be able to use that. Now what I want to know is how we stop it. Do these SIR units, as you called them, have a weakness?" He looked at Zim.

Zim nodded. "Their antenna, on the top of their heads, is for emitting and receiving radio signals as well as for hearing. The one I had was a bit stupid so it may have just made itself more vulnerable, but one time it tried sending me a direct transmission while it was listening to earth music and it short circuited it's audio components as well as a few other parts." Zim explained. "Their scanners only work on what their eyes can detect. These face directly forward."

"SIR units aren't programmed to notice a minor malfunction, just to get the mission done." Zim clarified, as he looked at Dib remembering all the issues he'd had with GIR. He turned back to the general, "If we can take out its audio centers it won't notice anyone coming up behind it. We could take that chance to disable and capture it."

The general was listening intently, "Then your plan is to use the robot's memory drive to find out the location of the base of operations, right?" He asked. Zim nodded. "It's a good plan. But how can we lure it out? I don't want another city getting destroyed."

Zim looked at the map one of the soldiers had spread out on the table. There were large red X's through 8 large cities. "What's the next largest city on your planet?" Zim asked the General, who walked over and indicated a city on the far side of the map. It was not too far from the one that had just been destroyed. There were two other cities in the immediate vicinity.

"How fast can you evacuate this city." Zim pointed to a different city than the one the general had indicated. The general squinted at the paper.

"With teleporters we can have everyone out in an hour or so. But that's not the…"

"This is the one he will target next. Based on the numbers you have written here he has been going in rounds of 3. Third largest city, then second then first. Then moving on to find the next three largest cities and doing the same. It's a standard invader tactic meant to keep the natives guessing at what city will be attacked next."

Dib sat with realization on his face. "So wait… My city was the third largest on earth? That's not right…"

"No Dib-stink, Earth has more cities and they're less condensed than this planet. I was planning to do sets of 17." Zim never looked up from the page as he explained this.

The Flerkosian General turned to a soldier and nodded. "We'll begin evacuating right away. The robot has been attacking one to two cities a day. Since as you said he was almost done when you arrived he will probably try to attack this one before too long."

Zim nodded. "Make sure to instruct everyone to leave their lights on, transmitters, and any electronics that they would normally be using if they were there. That's how the invader will monitor the cities. If one goes dead overnight he'll probably switch to a different city."

The General nodded and sent off another man with the orders. Turning back to the thee he said, "Now what do you all plan to do during this?"

"Dib needs to recover so he'll remain here," Zim glared at him when Dib started to protest. "Kam knows how GIR works since she's helped me repair him a few times. She can help your scientists construct a device to force radio waves into him." Kam nodded and followed after one soldier who was ordered to show her to the lab. "As for me," Zim said standing tall to face the general. "I think I have a plan for how to get the SIR robot to transmit a direct message to its master."

* * *

_For once I know what Zim is planning before I write it! Wow! Things are getting intense. I'm still wondering if Zim really has it in him to kill one of his own._


	14. Irken Menace (part 1)

_This is part 1 of Zim's plan to rescue planet Xylferk._

* * *

Chapter 14 – Irken Menace (part 1)

Baby: 12.7 weeks; 88.5 days  
ETA Irk: 140 days

Zim walked through the streets of the deserted city. Lights were left on. Vehicles were left in in the road ways with their engines running. The Flerkosian's were efficient. They had gotten news to, and emptied, every part of the city, houses, business, streets, even the underground areas, all without starting a panic.

Zim, being the only life form in the whole city would become the first target of the robot. He had been wandering the city for a several hours. _Come on take the bait_. He only hoped that the assigned invader, Invader Sploorche, wouldn't be paying attention. He had been making fast work of the planet which would hopefully lead to the invader dropping his guard.

"I don't like this…" Kam's voice came out nervously over the communicator. "What if it doesn't stop to warn you again like last time?"

"I'm the best chance we've got. No one else would even have a chance of getting close."

"I know but what if this doesn't work?"

"Well we're about to find out." Zim said. His antennae twitched as he picked up the sound of small jets coming up on his right. The SIR unit following protocol flew a circle around the city twice, scanning for life forms, then flew to land in the most congested area. Zim's antennae flattened nervously as the robot landed 5 feet away. It turned to address him.

"Irken life form, this area has been designated for destruction. Leave at once."

"Yes. I will. But first I need to speak with your master."

The robot stared at him. "My master is busy working toward this planet's destruction. What business do you have with him?"

Zim wasn't very good at acting, and he wasn't sure what lie the SIR would believe. Pzzzst a crackle came over his communicator transmitting directly into his PAK, It was Dib. "Zim repeat after me…."

"Robot… Measure my amazing height and see that a higher ranking Irken Invader has come to aid your master in his mission…." Zim used PAK to send a message back –_THIS IS STUPID! HE'LL NEVER BELIEVE THIS! EARTH-STINK IF I DIE YOU'LL WISH YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE IN GHOSTS!–_ "…and you his robot servant would dare stand in my way! Call him right now and you'll see."

The robot glowered at Zim. _Holy Tallest... I'm going to die…_ Zim thought nervously. Finally the robot walked closer and pulled a video communicator from his head. When it was close enough Zim clamped a nodule to the SIR's antenna.

-_NOW!- _Zim signaled Kam who was waiting in the upper atmosphere with a radio transmitter. The poor little robot never even knew what happened. Kam had turned the power up so high she had accidently scrambled its whole systems. Its eyes went dark and it crumpled to the ground.

"Do you have to overpower everything?" Zim asked as he gathered up the robot.

"Woops. Did I?" Kam enquired. "Sorry. I figure better safe than sorry."

Zim dug through the robot until he found its memory card. He inserted the card into his own PAK searching for the location of the base. Here was the part that was going to make everyone upset with him. The general was the next one to speak.

"Have you found the location? Transmit it to us when you do. I've got a team ready to go. I'm ready to have that bastard off my planet."

"Actually…" Zim confessed, "I'm not going to give you the location."

"WHAT!? You do know we have your friends here! You can't re-nigg on our deal!"

"I'm not." Zim said cautiously. "I just want to deal with this Irken to Irken." He explained.

"ZIM!" it was Dib. "What are you doing?! This is their planet. We helped now let Them defend it."

"Dib's right." Kam sounded calmer than the others; as if she knew what she was saying wasn't going to make any difference. "Please just send the coordinates and let's go."

Zim apologized then turned off his communicator. He pulled the tracking device off his shirt and smashed it on the ground. It wasn't hard to find transportation since he'd talked the general into having cars left running. Soon as he found one with enough fuel Zim was off.

* * *

_What is Zim planning? Is it because he just doesn't want to endanger anymore innocent lives? Or is there more on his Goo-filled Mind? _


	15. Irken Menace (part 2)

_Part 2 of their time on planet Xylerk. I was kind of tired while writing this. I hope it's not too terrible. Leave a comment and tell me what you think! Please and thank you!_

* * *

Chapter 15 – Irken Menace (part 2)

Baby: 12.7 weeks; 88.3 days  
ETA Irk: 140 days

Zim sped across the Xylferk countryside. The base wasn't too much further. The memory pack from the SIR unit led Zim right to the hidden entrance. Irken systems were typically not programed to recognize between different Irkens. As long as the Irken wasn't being turned into bologna they could enter any base unnoticed.

Zim used the robot's access code to gain entrance. Once inside he followed the robot's memories to find where the Irken was most likely to be at this time. Zim found the invader lounging in front of a computer that was running some sort of experiment. The door opened with a Pssht noise.

"You've been improving lately. Are you certain you destroyed everything in such a short amount of time? I don't want to have to explain to the Tallest that… Who the heck are you?" the Irken said as he turned and saw Zim.

"I'm here to talk with you about your mission."

Invader Sploorche's eyes narrowed as he looked at Zim. Sploorche got off his chair and gave a short bow and antennae salute to the Taller Irken. Zim stood awkwardly for a moment. He was used to receiving such a greeting. He also wasn't used to having to look down to look at another irken.

"I apologize." Invader Sploorche said. "I was not expecting a visit from a Taller such as yourself. What is it you wish to discuss?"

"You need to leave this planet alone." Though as Zim heard himself say it he knew it made no sense.

Invader Sploorche cocked an antenna at him. "I'm sorry my Taller, I don't understand. Why should I leave this planet alone? My mission here is not yet complete."

Well it worked once before… why not again? "Because" Zim said, praying, "There are matters that require the presence of all Irken Invaders back on the planet. You've heard how our almighty Tallests have been in disagreements lately, yes?" Invader Sploorche nodded. "Good well you are hereby ordered to return to Irk. Dissmissed!" Zim stood straight like a real commander.

Invader Sploorche looked confused. "Sir… Why was an order like this not simply given through a transmission? Surely something so simple would not require one of your status to come to this filthy planet just to relay a message."

Zim's antennae dropped. He hadn't thought of that. Uh oh… now what? Invader Sploorche stood waiting for an answer. "Well that is… Because… umm…"

"What's your rank and PAK number? Sir." Invader Sploorche said that last part forcefully; he was beginning to question Zim's identity as a superior officer.

Zim would never go without planning anything ever again if he could just come up with a way to trick the invader and like a giant goo ball it hit him. "Well actually I wasn't supposed to tell you this," Zim said leaning in close to the invader, "but Almighty Tallest Purple believes Tallest Red is attempting to gather an army against him. Tallest Purple has heard of your great abilities and wishes to speak with you about a secret mission. This is why we could not make a transmission, for fear it would be intercepted."

Invader Sploorche's eyes widened with excitement and loyalty. He was like Zim had once been; willing to do anything to impress his Almighty Tallest. "Sir!" He saluted Zim. "What would you have me do?"

Zim took on a commanding air, "Take your ship and leave now. I will handle matters here. Of course credit for the fate of this planet will go to you after you complete your other mission." Invader Sploorche looked thrilled.

"My Taller," he said, "My SIR robot is currently out destroying one of the cities."

"Yes yes, I know of that. Your minion was the reason I was able to locate you. Now hurry and be on your way. You don't want to keep your Tallest waiting. Do you?"

Invader Sploorche saluted Zim. "No Sir! I will leave right away sir!" And with that he ran out of the room on his short little legs.

Zim sat down by the main computer and looked through all the plans Invader Sploorche had made for the planet. He shut down everything that was active and canceled anything that was waiting. He didn't leave until he felt the vibrations from the Invader's Voot Cruiser taking off from the base. Once he confirmed that Invader Sploorche had cleared the atmosphere he typed in the override code and set the base for self-destruct. Zim was on his ship and half-way to the next city by the time it exploded.

Once the base was destroyed, Zim remembered that he needed to turn his communicator back on. He did so but immediately wish he hadn't. The General and Dib were yelling at each other about something and they immediately turned that anger on him once they knew he was listening.

"Irken! Don't think you can get away with doing things like this! Our people Deserve Justice!"

"Zim! What the heck was that about! I get not telling this windbag here but why couldn't you even tell me!?"

It was a while before they stopped yelling long enough for Zim to explain what happened.

"You just let him go? Just like that?" The General was furious. Dib was annoyed. Kam was just worried.

"Hunny what if he tells them you're coming?" She asked nervously.

"He probably will, but I never told him my name and he never scanned for my ID number. It will take some time for the control brains to pass any kind of sentence on him, though his ship was a newer model so he will probably reach Irk in a few weeks rather than months." This did not comfort his friends.

"And what then? The general asked. "What happens if he comes back?"

"I destroyed his base. He'll have to start completely over again. You know how to defeat a SIR unit. Just let that be enough for now." The Flerkosian General clearly didn't like this idea, but for now his people were safe so he let it pass.

Zim returned to the hospital where Dib and Kam were waiting for him. Kam ran and jumped into his arms happy he was ok. The general came forward and thanked Zim for his help, "If there's anything we can do to repay you just name it."

Zim looked nervously at Kam and Dib then turned back and spoke in a hushed voice, "About what we talked of earlier, just say you're people will be there to help whatever happens in the end." The general smiled and nodded.

"We will not forget what you have done for us, Irken Zim."

It was time for them to be on their way. With only 88 days until the baby they needed to hurry. They restocked some supplies and headed on their way. They had no idea the chain of events they had begun across the universe.


	16. Who is Taller?

_So I'm starting to figure out that reading other fan fictions for the same series as the one I'm currently writing... Is not a good idea.  
I just read one (brilliantly written) that basicly implies Dib is insane and halucinated Zim and the Irkens, that or him forgetting about them is him in the process of going insane. And it's kinda making me have to go back and read a few chapters of my own story before I can get back on track with my own writing.  
Such a pain!_

* * *

Chapter 16 – Who is Taller?

Baby: 5.6 weeks; 35 days  
ETA Irk: 84 days

Staff Sargent Tak sat in the back of the room. An Irken was on trial for abandoning his post as an invader; an unacceptable crime, failure was not an option for an invader.

"No! My Tallest! I would never!" Invader Splooche pleaded with his leaders.

Tallest Red glared down at him. "The very same day your SIR robot was defeated by the enemy, your base was given the self-destruct override. You saw the enemy fighting back and you fled in fear. Such weakness will not be tolerated!"

"No! You don't understand! One of the Tallers came to me and ordered me to return home!"

_Nonsense_, Tak thought to herself. Why would a Taller want to ruin the mission of a lowly invader? It just wouldn't make sense. Tallers were often given command of the conquered planets none of them would refuse that power.

Tallest Purple thought the same. "Why would a superior Irken bother with your mission? Huh?"

Invader Splooche was silent under the eyes of his leader. Red and Purple looked at each other. The control brains moved forward and plugged into the quivering invader's PAK.

'_We will observe the day in question. The results will decide your fate.'_ The left brain said.

The monitor showed a picture. Invader Splooche was lounging in the control room when a sound came from behind him. "I hope you at least did a good job!" He demanded turning to face what he thought was his robot. The mocks of the Tallests were silence when they saw a Tall Irken they had never seen before.

"Who is that?" Tallest Purple asked.

"I have no idea." Tallest Red moved to float beside purple. They looked at each other then realized who they were standing by and scowled and turned their backs.

Tak rolled her eyes. Everyone knew the Tallests were fighting, but no one knew what they were fighting about. No one would really care except that they kept contradicting one another while giving orders and that was causing problems for the soldiers.

Tak's eyes nearly burst from her head when the Tall Irken spoke. "You need to leave this planet alone." That voice! ZIM? No! It couldn't be! Could it?

"That voice," Red scratched his antenna, "why does it sound so familiar?" he asked looking over at Tallest Purple.

"How would I know?" Tallest Purple crossed his arms and floated away. "You think I'm supposed to know everything?"

"EHEM! My Tallest now that you see I am not lying perhaps you could unplug me?" Invader Splooche asked meekly.

Tak perked an antenna. Why would he want unplugged before the whole encounter was seen? More importantly she wanted to hear the Tall Irken speak again to confirm if it truly was Zim. To her disappointment their Almighty Tallests were too busy arguing to care that the trial ended early, and unplugged the little Invader. The control brains dismissed the court. _Fine._ Tak thought,_ I'll find out for myself._

Meanwhile:

Zim, Dib, and Kam were all tired and irritable, but they wouldn't let it show. They didn't dare stop at another planet. They had lost a great deal of time, and by now they were deep into Irken territory.

Kam was having the worst time of them all. By this point her pregnancy was beginning to show and Zim constantly had to make alterations to the ship's environmental settings in order to keep her comfortable. Even though the two boys tried their best to be nice, Kam often found herself hiding back in her bunk crying. She missed home and wished she had her normal earth friends around.

Zim would occasionally boost the power on the long range transmitters to allow Kam to talk with Gaz on earth. It was spring now. Gaz would try to comfort her, and during the calls it worked, but after they said their goodbyes Kam just seemed to become even more and more homesick.

Dib and Zim sat in the control room while Kam was making yet another call to home.

"She's been making them every day now." Dib said looking back towards the door.

"I know…" Zim stared out the window. They were passing by another galaxy. "I don't want to, but I may have to tell her to stop… The further we get from earth, the more power it takes to sustain the call." Zim explained. He felt bad. This was his fault. If he hadn't been banished he could have requested a PAK be sent to him. Then again… if he hadn't been banished he probably would have destroyed the humans before he ever met Kam. Since it didn't matter anymore Zim saw no reason why he couldn't pretend he was a capable invader.

"Will we have enough power to get to Irk?" Dib asked looking slightly worried.

"Yes but I'll have to change the fuel cells at some point before we get there. I have extras in the back."

"Any idea yet about what you'll do when we get there?" Dib was hoping Zim would tell him about the conversation he'd had with the Flerkosian General. Zim did not.

"No idea. My new height may be able to grant us access to the Smeet factory depending on who's in charge."

"So we're just gonna wing it?"

"Pretty much." Zim wondered if perhaps things would have just been easier if they had never left Earth.

They flew on in silence. Zim should have been wishing that they had left Earth with a better ship instead. The scanners were malfunctioning and failed to detect the battle cruiser that was closing in on them.

* * *

_Anyway, New problems are arising for our heros. Whose ship is comming towards them? Will they be able to get away? And Why are the Tallests fighting!? All these questions (except the last one) will be answered in the next chapter!_


	17. Attack From All Size

Chapter 17 – Attack from All Size

Baby: 5.6 weeks; 34 days  
ETA Irk: 82 days

"NOW! TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW!" Tak slammed Former-Invader Sploorche against the wall.

Sploorche struggled against her grip, "Please! I swear I don't know who that Taller was!" Tak pointed 3 robot claws at his head. Then she pulled him forward and the claws gripped his PAK. "NO PLEASE! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU ASK! NO! DON'T! YOU'LL KILL ME!"

Tak relished the fear in the weak irken's eyes. It had been long since she had been able to strike true terror like she had so longed to do as an invader. Not since Zim and that Large-Headed-Human-worm had foiled her plan to impress the Tallests. She was lucky to have gotten away with the pathetic duty of Smeet hatching after such a failure.

Tak lowered her claws and pulled Sploorche down so she was right in his face. "You will show me the whole memory from your PAK!" Tak demanded.

"Sure! Ok! Whatever you want. Just don't hurt me." Splooche ejected a small disk from his PAK. "Here! It's a recording of what happened that day! Now please. Let me go…" Tak took the disk and dropped him. Former Invader Splooche ran as fast as he could.

Tak stood menacingly, supported by the robotic legs from her PAK. "Weak fool. It took you long enough," She said as she watched him flee. She gazed at the disk in her hand. _Zim, if you are truly on this disk you will rue the day you ever left that miserable planet._

**Back on the ship:**  
Zim sneezed. A very un-irken thing to do, causing Kam and Dib to stare oddly at him. "You ok Zim?" Dib asked. Zim insisted he was fine. He avoided their stares by looking over the different monitors on the control panel. It was then that he noticed something was off. The GBS (Galactic Body Scanner) was black. Zim tried to reboot the system. Nothing… That was odd… He leaned down and pulled the metal cover back from the control panel's wiring. He dug through it for a while trying to find what was wrong.

"Everything ok Hun?" Kam asked leaning down to see what he was doing.

"I'm not sure. The scanners seem to be malfunctioning. It won't cause any immediate danger since we're in between galaxies right now, but once we have the need to pass through one… well… anyway I just need to fix it before we accidently run into a star or something." Dib and Kam agreed this was a good idea and went into the back, leaving Zim to his work.

_This wire connects to here, that one to there. Red to the blue. Why is there a paperclip down here?_ Well… nothing looked really wrong with the setup, but the scanner just wouldn't turn on. He dug through to the back of the system to where the power was connected. It was connected just fine. Maybe the wires were torn? Zim disconnected the power cuplink and felt along the wire to see if there were any noticeable snags. Nothing…

Zim was busy  
with that other scanner he didn't see the light flashing on the communications panel. A few minutes later he finally found the spot that was frayed, then he swapped out a new wire and closed up the panel.

Standing up he saw the radiation scanners flashing. A second later an alarm went off. Zim leapt to the controls and jerked the ship to the side, narrowly avoiding a laser burst. It had been shot from a nearby battle ship. The battle cruiser continued to fire on the tiny ship.

Dib ran in with his face covered in juice. "What's going on!?"

"We're under attack! Get over here! I need you to tell me what weapons they're charging!" Zim weaved the ship in and out of the bursts. _No! How did I miss this. _Such a primitive ship would have no chance of out running… What was even shooting at them? Zim spun the ship to see. A full size Vort Battle Ship was baring down on them.

"ZIM! They're charging something… I really don't know what it is." Dib yelled. Zim leaned over to look at the screen. Oh this was not good. They were loading Implosion Grenades. One hit and the ship would crush itself.

They managed to dodge the first few but, considering that each time one exploded it temporarily formed a small black hole, Zim was finding it difficult to steer the ship. _No! I won't give up! I AM ZIM! I won't let you hurt my friends!_

A blast hit the side of the ship knocking them into the wall. When Dib looked up he saw a sizable dent in the hull of the ship, and Zim lying unconscious on the floor. The scanners showed that the Vort ship was charging another weapon. Dib smashed his hand on the communications. "WE'RE NOT IRKEN! I REPEAT NOT IRKE…." Another blast hit the ship. Dib's vision faded to black.

* * *

_DUN DUN DUN! Gotta love those Cliffhangers! Getting busy with school work so might be lowered to 1 chapter a day verses the 2-3 that I've been doing. Comment if you hate me for ending this chapter like that! :3 muahahaa_

Ps.

_**The sneeze**__ is a refrence to a common japanese superstition, of which I am a fan, That says: __**Sneezing means someone is talking about you/thinking about**_** you.**


	18. The Resisty

**_Warning:_**_ I legit started to cry in fear for my favorite character in the middle of this chapter!  
Also: ETA Irk is left empty because it is currently unknown to our heros where they are. Untill they are back on their way to Irk it will remain empty._

* * *

Chapter 18 – The Resisty

Baby: 4.2 weeks; 30 days  
ETA Irk: - days

Dib opened his eyes and shut them again after being nearly blinded. Someone was talking but he really couldn't make out what they were saying. Once he felt more confident, Dib tried opening his eyes again. Oh great it was another hospital. How many times did he plan to get hurt on this trip?

"DIB! You're awake! Thank heavens, can you sit up?" Kam rushed over next to him as he sat staring around.

"Where are we?" Dib's voice cracked as he spoke. His mouth felt dry. Kam held a glass of water up for him to drink.

"It's sort of a medical ward… though mostly… it's a prison cell." Kam's eyes were watering. Dib finished up the drink then tried to sit up further. His wrist was shackled to the bed. He looked around. The walls were all a cold metal grey. There was almost nothing in the room other than a tray of food, and some devices that seemed to be monitoring his vital signs.

"Where's Zim?" He regretted the question as soon as he asked. Kam shook her head and started to cry.

"After that last blast our ship was pulled into theirs…" she explained through her tears. "I was pinned under some stuff and I think I busted my leg…" Kam shifted in her seat and Dib noticed a pair of crutches sitting on the floor next to her chair. "When they came on board… They took you and me down here. They fixed up my leg and your head… but…" her eyes couldn't hold the tears anymore and she broke down… "I don't know what's happened to him." She said. "They wouldn't tell me anything. I begged them to let me see him but they wouldn't even look at me." Dib sat up and pulled his cousin close. She just sat and cried in his arms.

"If there's one thing I've learned about Irkens over the years," Dib whispered calmly, "it's that they're too stubborn to die." _You swore we'd get through this Zim. Don't make me a liar._

**In a dark room:**  
"So you're finally awake are you? Irken filth."

Zim cracked open his large pink eyes. He tried moving his antennae a bit to get a sense of the room he was in. It was cold and dark. The only light in the room was shining straight down onto Zim. Nothing was on the walls except the two chains that held his arms, and a device that was attached to his PAK sealing it inside a small dome which only opened where PAK was attached to his back.

"Why didn't you just kill me?" Zim spat. "Your device is ready to tear off my PAK any moment. Why wait?" _I am of the mighty Irken race_. He reminded himself trying to swallow his fear.

"Why should I kill you? Just because your kind killed so many of mine? You think I would let you off that easily?" The stranger stood off in a dark corner of the room. Zim searched though his PAK to find what language he was hearing, for some reason it was hard to tell. Vortian?

"You're from Vort right?" Zim wheezed. He was finding it painful to breath. Was he injured? "You're angry because the empire enslaved your planet. As you should be… But I'm not…"

"SILENCE! Irken filth. You don't get to say what we should and shouldn't do." The light reflected off a pair of horns as the Vortian stepped forward to stare at Zim. "My name is Lard Nar. I am the leader of the Resisty. For too long you green filth have had your way with the universe, but no more."

Zim's head was feeling fuzzy. It was harder to think than even what was normal for him. He blinked a few times and shook his head trying to clear the fog. It did no good.

"Ah. Starting to feel it now are we? Yes well we couldn't begin until you woke up, but now that we've begun draining your PAK's memory it won't be long before you become completely unaware. We will reprogram you to be a tool for the Resisty. An Irken of your height should be able to walk right up to your leaders. Killing them will be so easy."

Zim's eyes widened. He began to panic. He could pull away from the device but it would disconnect his PAK. If he did this he would have to reattach within 10 minutes. _No... I can't. _He had no way to know if they would be able to continue draining his PAK if he wasn't attached; besides, his arms were still chained to the wall. "Wait Please! You have to listen to me! I'm not part of the empire anymore! I…"

"Do you really think I care what you have to say? Your people will say whatever it takes to get what you want. You goo sucking…"

"I PLAN TO OVERTHROW THE TALLESTS!" Zim yelled before he could rethink it. Lard Nar stared at him for a moment than turned and made a gesture. A moment later Zim's head cleared a bit. The machine had been switched off.

The Vort leader walked up to stare directly at Zim. "You have one chance to tell me why I should listen to you."

* * *

**FAVORITE THIS **(or comment)** IF YOU CRIED FOR ZIM!**  
_We've heard it from Zim's own mouth. What will happen now?_


	19. Space of Plots

Chapter 19 – Plots of Space

Baby: 4.1 weeks; 29 days  
ETA Irk: - days

"Yes soldier. What is it?" Tallest Red sat on his chair staring at the short Irken with disinterest. Tak was not intimidated though. This was the chance she had been waiting for. Her revenge would be so very much complete, and she wouldn't even need to work hard to do it.

"My Tallest, I come with some frightening news." Tak reached into her pocket and pulled out the disk she had gotten from Splooche. "In my hand I hold evidence of a heinous plot against you."

"What fool would dare plot against the Almighty Tallests? Everyone knows the Irken Empire is unbeatable. It's not that stupid Resisty is it?"

Tak shook her head, "The plot is not one from outside the empire. What I hold here is proof that an Irken plans to kill you." She spoke with a tone of concern, but had Tallest Red been able to see her bowed face he would have noticed the cruel smile crossing it. _Yes you fool. Continue to listen to me. I already know exactly how this is going to end. My victory is assured._

Tallest Red's eyes grew narrow glaring at Tak. "No Irken would dare. The control brains would have their PAKs drained of every last thought."

"The Control Brains would never think to check this particular Irken." She said softly. Out of her PAK she pulled a video monitor. She popped in the disk and moved closer to the Irken Leader. Tallest Red watched as the Taller Irken spoke with Sploorche:

"Almighty Tallest Purple.. ..is attempting to gather an army against.. ..Tallest Red. Tallest Purple has heard of your great abilities and wishes to speak with you about a secret mission. This is why we could not make a transmission, for fear it would be intercepted."

Ok so maybe Tak had edited the file a small amount, but it was good enough to get the result she wanted. Tallest Red stared at the screen in shock, he had squeezed his juice box so hard it was dripping down his hand onto the floor. "He wouldn't… Just because of that…"

"My Tallest, I realize this is difficult for you to hear. I wish to offer my full assistance in any way you may need it." She bowed low and raised her antennae in a respectful salute. _Come on you fool. Take the bait._

Tallest Red stared out the window. Finally he raised his hand to his face. "What is your name soldier?"

"I am Staff Sargent Tak. My Tallest" She said standing at attention.

"Very well then… Tak, gather whatever information you can and report directly to me. Do not speak to anyone about what you have discovered. Is that clear?"

"Yes My Tallest."

Tallest Red turned his back on Tak and floated over to the window. Here aboard the Massive, the strongest ship in all the universe, surrounded by the largest Irken fleet in existence. Here with all the power he had dreamed of controlling as a smeet. Right here, on this very ship… His best and only friend… was now his greatest threat.

**Back on the Resisty's ship:  
** Dib sat chained to the bed, watching Kam as she struggled in a nightmare. Hours had passed since he had woken up in this cold room. Or… at least he thought it was hours. It was hard to tell since he'd been in space so long his body's internal clock had all but disappeared.

No one had come down to the room. You would think that if your prisoners had woken up you would at least come down to check. Dib tried to distract himself by watching his heart rate go up and down on the screen. It worked for about two seconds. He tried other stuff to keep his mind off the situation. He even tried picking the lock on his chain with that oddly pointy part of his hair. It didn't work.

"Oh come on! They've got to come down at some point!" Dib stopped talking to himself when he heard footsteps out in the hall. Not normal footsteps but more like something with multiple legs. Huh? Are there two voices?

"See they're right in here. The one was injured bad so we took her down here with the sleeping one." The door opened and Dib thought he saw a spider and a flying ice cream cone. Then he realized he was looking at a couple of aliens.

"Uh… Hi! Hello? Can you tell me what's going on? Where's the Irken that was with us?"

The Ice Cream Cone looked at Dib with his tongue sticking out. "Well we're not supposed to talk to you about him but we did find this guy if you want him." The spider walked over and set the SIR unit down on the bed. Dib was shocked. What was GIR doing here?

"Yeah," the ice cream cone continued, "We found him sleeping in the back of the ship."

"He's not sleeping," Dib told them. "He's broken." Then he got a light bulb moment. "Hey you guys wouldn't happen to have an AI adapter for a SIR robot would you?"

The Ice Cream Cone stared at Dib with a stupid expression on his face, then nodded looking happy but still really stupid, and turned around and floated out. The Spider followed him. Dib got the happy surprise in a few minutes when they came back with a new adapter. Dib decided it was better to not ask why they were helping him, just in case they were too stupid to realize that they actually were. After they left he pulled GIR closer to see if he could fix him.

"Need some help with that?" Kam sat up.

"I thought you were asleep?"

"I was for a while but when those two came in I was just faking." She smiled at him. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying. The two got to work trying to figure out GIR's inner workings. Neither of them had ever worked on him before. Zim had always made sure to do that personally. Maybe if they could get him working… Just maybe… then they could get out of there and try and find Zim. It was hard to work with only his left hand, but Dib was determined.


	20. Worse'er Left Forgotten

Chapter 20 – Worse'er Left Forgotten

Baby: 4.1 weeks; 29 days  
ETA Irk: - days

With the machine turned off, it was easier to think, but Zim felt like he was forgetting something. O well that didn't matter right now. For now he just needed to get out of there.

Lard Nar stared at Zim. "Explain to me why I should trust you?"

Zim shrugged and winced as his raw wrists rubbed against his shackles. "You want to free your planets. I want to keep a certain one safe. I have as much stake in stopping the empire as you do." The words just kept coming out of his mouth. What unnerved Zim the most was he wasn't really sure why he was saying them. _It's not right what the empire is doing? _"Help me and Vort and Irk can go back to being allies like in the past. You'll have your planet and your people back."

The Vortian stared at him for a while. "Do you think you can overthrow your leaders?"

"I'm the same height as them. There's no reason why the Control Brains wouldn't enforce an equal part of the Irken Rule to me."

"Do you believe that others of your kind will follow you? After all we both know how much your kind loves power."

Zim nodded. Of course he knew this. He was the one sent to conquer Earth. Would it be better to rule through fear or through trust? Fear meant you had enemies like this hideous Vort always trying to steal your glory. If they trust you, you could make them do whatever you wanted!

"I want to help. Can't we talk about this like civilized goo-sacks." Zim lowered his antennae trying to look as innocent as possible. Lard Nar glared up at him then gave a signal for Zim's restraints to be removed. The chains unlatched from his wrists and the dome around his PAK hissed as it opened.

Zim extended his robot arms out of PAK and checked a few more things to see what damage that accursed machine had done. Everything seemed to be in order. He rubbed his wrists and found they were oozing a bit. That would heal soon enough though.

Lard Nar turned halfway to the door, "Come let's talk about this elsewhere," and he started to make his way to the door.

"No I don't think that is going to happen." Zim had slammed the Vortian against the wall before Lard Nar even knew what hit him. "Filth, Did you really think the Mighty Irken Race would even consider helping you trash!? You all deserve to be destroyed! You should feel honored that The Almighty Tallests have let you live as long as they have."

Soldiers of the Resisty ran in with lasers pointed at Zim. Despite the nagging feeling that he was forgetting something, Zim felt better than he had in a long time. He felt overwhelming confidence. Nothing could stop him. He would make his Tallests proud!

**In a deserted Hallway:**  
"Ok GIR. Which way now?" Kam and Dib stared at the little robot who was their best chance at finding their Irken friend. After they had repaired him it had taken a few minutes to get him to sit still long enough to understand that Zim needed help. '_My Master Needs Me!'_ He had yelled. GIR had broken down the door and led them through the ship. At first he had been in duty mode but now as his eyes turned their usual cyan blue he was getting distracted.

"Which way to Zim?" Dib pressured the robot.

GIR looked both directions down the corridor. "Umm… I think he's this way." He pointed up through the ceiling. Dib mumbled something that sounded like 'spastic robot' then suggested they just pick a direction and forget GIR leading.

Kam shook her head. "GIR is programed to be able to locate Zim from his PAK." Turning to GIR she said, "GIR Do you know where Zim is?"

GIR nodded happily then looked sad, "Master don't feel right. It's like a moose in a bowl of jelly. I LIKE JELLY!" He screamed the last part then latched himself to Kam's leg. She looked down at the silly robot.

"What do you mean not right? Is he hurt?"

GIR shook his head, rubbing his face against her pant leg. "He's so happy he gonna explode! Like that time with the moose and my walnuts. Or when we was goin out for Tacos!" Kam just raised an eyebrow.

"Moose…" Dib said scratching his head. "And Walnuts!? You mean when he sent us through a wormhole to the room with a moose? Is that right GIR?" The robot nodded happily.

Kam looked back and forth at the two of them clearly confused. "What moose? What tacos? Dib what is he talking about?"

"I know this sounds crazy I think GIR is saying Zim is acting like he was back when he was trying to destroy the earth. Is that what you mean GIR?"

"TACOS!" The robot yelled nodding.

"Dib what are you talking about!? How could you know that?"

"Just listen, back when Zim was trying to destroy the earth he sent me and the rest of the class into space and he tried to send us through a worm hole to a room with a moose. I know it sounds crazy but he was so confident that plan would work. We talked about some of his plans after we became friends and we both agreed that was his best one." Kam looked at Dib like he needed a strait jacket.

"What does that have to do with right now?"

"Don't you get it?" Dib glanced up and down the hallway, "Gir says Zim is feeling the same thing he was when he launched me into space. Confidence of Victory. It means he's ok and we just need to meet up with him and get the heck out of here." Kam was still stuck on the Moose thing but hearing that Zim was ok was some comfort.

The floor beneath them began to shake. "MY MASTER!" GIR yelled. His eyes turned red and he dashed off; Kam and Dib following close behind.

* * *

_Go GIR! Go!  
Just what did that machine do to Zim? Aren't you curious?  
__**Leave a message if I'm doing ok with GIR's personality.**_


	21. Will You Hold My Memories (Kam)

_Two chapters occuring at the same time. First is Kam's then is Dib's. Can they stop Zim before he does any real damage?_

* * *

Chapter 21 – Will You Hold My Memories? (Kam)

Baby: 4.1 weeks; 29 days  
ETA Irk: - days

They didn't know what kind of trouble they were running towards but with all the aliens running away from it, it couldn't be good. GIR kept right on going weaving through the crowds like he was chasing a squirrel. A couple of times Kam was afraid she had lost sight of him but he popped up waiting for them around a corner.

_When we get back to earth I'm going to buy him a giant bag of taquitos. _She decided after the fifth time she found him waiting around a corner. They had lost Dib somewhere in the crowd. She just had to hope that he would manage. GIR wasn't going to slow down more than he had to. He was switching back and forth from normal to duty mode. It was eerie to hear him calmly state that 'Master is two more floors up' and lead the way with those red eyes.

Something didn't feel right. Did GIR know something she didn't? She thought about what Dib had said earlier. Zim was feeling the same as he felt by destroying his enemies? Kam's stomach sank when GIR turned through a doorway into a dark room.

There was only one light. It was shining on some strange machine next to the wall. She ran her hand over the smooth clear dome on the top of the machine. A moan came from behind and startled her.

Kam stared at the short grey goat-alien on the floor. "Are you ok?" She knelt down and lifted the alien up so he leaned against the wall. He winced when she touched his arm. Feeling it gently she knew it was broken. One of his horns was also broken, and he had a nasty gash on the back of his head.

The alien coughed as he opened his eyes. "Irken filth…" he spat. He leaned on his good arm and began to push himself to his feet. Kam caught him when he lost his balance.

"You're hurt you should sit still. Now what happened to the Irken? Where is my husband?"

Lard Nar glared at Kam. "Your husband? Irkens do not love. They destroy everything they touch."

"Zim is different!" She felt like dropping the annoying little alien. "What happened?"

"We released him and then he attacked us. I was stupid to listen to him. My foolish desire for a peaceful resolution…"

"No! Zim wouldn't just attack you! What did you do to him?" _It couldn't be…_ Dib said Zim was feeling how he felt in the past… He wouldn't go back to that… She promised that she wouldn't let him do anything like that. Something must be wrong! "Tell me what you did to him!" _She_ shrieked at the Vortian.

He glared at her then pointed to the machine by the wall. "We were planning to drain his PAK's memories. He tricked us. Said he would help. He said he was planning to over throw the Irken leaders."

_Over…throw…_ Kam shook her head, that was a thought for another time. "You used that machine? To what? Drain his memories? What memories did you take?!" The Vortian looked startled at this.

"How should I know? Now would you put me down!" Kam practically dropped him. She ran over to the machine, yanked the plug out of the wall and ordered GIR to carry it carefully. GIR was somehow still in Duty-mode. He grabbed the machine and waited for his next order. Kam whirled around and grabbed Lard Nar under her arm and dashed up the hallway with GIR right behind.

"Where are you taking me!? Put me down at once! You… creature… uhh… what exactly are you?" Lard Nar struggled under her arm occasionally wincing from bumping his broken arm.

"I'm a human and we're going to find my husband!"

"Well HYOOMAN, You won't find him this way. He was headed to the bridge to call his precious leaders." He hung loosely under her arm. He'd given up fighting. At Kam's insistence he agreed to lead her to the bridge.

* * *

_Oh gawd this is getting intense! Where is Dib through all of this? Find out next chapter!_


	22. Will You Hold My Memories (Dib)

_This chapter Switches from __**Dib's PoV**__ to __**Zim's PoV**_

* * *

Chapter 22 – Will You Hold My Memories? (Dib)

Baby: 4.1 weeks; 29 days  
ETA Irk: - days

Dib had been following Kam, who was following GIR, but somewhere along the way he had lost track of them. Crowds of fleeing aliens kept shoving past him. That translator imbedded in his neck was working like a charm. He must've heard 20 different aliens all yelling but he understood all of them.

"Quick to the escape pods!"

"We're gonna die!"

"He's headed to the Control room!" The one that said this was yanked through an open door by Dib.

"How do I get to the control room!?" Dib demanded. It was a short gray alien.

"Down the hall, turn left at the third door, right at the 2nd hallway, up the stairs and to the left. Now PUT ME DOWN!" Dib leg go and the tiny alien fled.

"Well I'm not sure if it's Zim they're running from but I may as well try. And I really need to stop talking to myself…" And with that Dib headed off to the control room.

Outside the door of the control room Dib was greeted by a familiar voice. He found Zim inside pounding his fists on some panels.

"WORK YOU! ZIM COMMANDS YOU! I MUST CONTACT MY TALLEST! MY TALLEST!"

"ZIM! What are you doing?!" Dib yelled.

Zim turned to face Dib. "Dib-stink! I should have known you would be behind this! Turning me over to the Vort resistance when you couldn't manage to expose me to your own planet's pitiful law authorities. I will make you rue the day you ever left your planet!"

"Zim what are you talking abo…OUUFF" Zim slammed Dib with one of his spider legs.

Dib coughed as he got to his feet. "Zim! What are you doing!? We're friends remember?"

"HA! Friends with you? I don't think so. You've been a thorn in my side for far too long. Destroying you will be oh so sweet indeed."

Zim lifted himself with his robot legs, high above Dib to stare down at his foe. The foolish earth-meat would regret getting him captured by a Vort ship. Wait… Had the Dib-stink caused that? Something told Zim that he hadn't… O well. _I'll destroy him now then worry about that later._ He pulled out a laser and started shooting.

Now he remembered why he always called him the Dib-MONKEY. The earthling dodged around all the shots as if Zim had the worst aim on Irk, which Zim knew he didn't. After all why would the Tallests give him a special mission if he were normally so incapable? "Annoying little monster. Hold still!"

"No!"

Why would this stubborn earthling never just die when Zim wanted him to? It really got annoying saving his hide all the time… Wait? Saving him? No Zim meant trying to destroy him. Didn't he? Zim put his hand to his forehead. All this fighting was giving him a headache. He should finish the earth-stink quickly so he could get back to his mission. Still… he was finding it hard to ignore that feeling that he was forgetting something important.

Dib was ducking behind a control panel, "Zim! Why are you like this!? Did you really forget?"

_What? How does the earth-monkey know I forgot something?_ Zim fired a blast right at where Dib was hiding, blasting Dib to the side. "Ok Earth-monkey! Explain how you know I forgot something! What are you hiding!?"

Dib pushed himself up against the wall he'd been blasted into. "Zim listen to me… You're not an invader. You aren't trying to destroy the earth anymore. We're friends… And you… You have to at least remember Kam, right?"

Zim dropped the laser. His head felt like it was gonna split straight between his antennae. He put his hands to his head and closed his eyes shut tight. _No.. Dib-stink… he's just trying to trick me… My tallests… I can call them… But they'll tell me the same… I want to protect the earth… but no… I'm supposed to destroy it…_

"DIB!" Kam ran into the room. She dropped the Vort with a thud, and turned to the machine GIR was holding.

_That's GIR! But he was broken! _Wait… Why was he broken? And who is this earth-female that GIR would listen to her? She was making his headache even worse than the Dib-stink had. _I should just destroy them both and get it over with._ Zim lifted the laser and pointed it right at Kam.

"No! Zim don't!" Dib coughed from his spot on the floor. "Kam! Run!"

Zim fired.

The shot missed by inches. Zim looked to find that his hand was shaking. He let out a yell of frustration and let off 3 more shots. All of them missed. "Why can't I hit you!" Zim growled angrily.

The earth-female turned and whispered something to GIR who was surprisingly in duty mode. That useless robot shouldn't take orders from anyone but me or my family… wait… why did he add that last part? What family? His head started to throb again.

"Zim? Can you hear me? It's me… Kam. Calm down for a second…" Zim could see she was shaking as she slowly walked towards him. Seeing her afraid, Zim felt guilty. _I've scared her like this before I'm sure of it… but when? I can't even remember her…_

"Zim?" He pointed the laser straight at her face but didn't pull the trigger. She put her hands out to reach for the gun. His head was hurting worse than ever. He didn't try to stop her when she took hold of the gun and pulled it gently from his grip. He couldn't think straight…

_"Sir. Power has been rerouted. Settings are reversed." _GIR returned to his normal mode and stupidly saluted Kam. "This gonna make master all better!?" He yelled and ran towards Zim. Zim backed away from him and ended up tripping over Dib. He fell to the ground barely able to see, his vision white from the pain. The pain subsided long enough for Zim to notice his cute little robot clinging to his side. The earth-female was sitting there to.

"Hold on, my love. We have to hook you up to that machine and return the memories they took." Zim vaguely understood that he was being dragged across the floor and hooked up to a machine. "Hit it GIR!" Kam said.

Zim's mind flashed white hot, then everything went dark.

* * *

_Zim's all better now right? I hope so. These past few chapters were really scary intense!_

_I hope you enjoyed them! __**Leave a note**__ if I'm doing a good job still! _


	23. Tall Hurts Short Lies

_For the record I just want to say that in the original series Zim and Tallest Red are my favorite characters! I Love You Red! YOU SMEXY CHRISTMAS TREE YOU!_

* * *

Chapter 23 – Tall Hurts, Short Lies

Baby: - weeks, - days  
ETA Irk: - days

Tallest Red sat in front of the screen. It was Probing Day again, but this year it was all business. Purple hadn't even come saying he had better places to be that with a 'lying backstabbing not-friend'. Red wasn't really listening while the current invader was giving his presentation. It was just another way to pass the time.

Back when they were still smeets, Purple had been his best friend through all the underground learning and training. Red had been so happy when he saw they both continued growing at the same rate. He didn't even mind sharing the power of being Tallest. Purple had never been as good a leader as Red but having him around made things… fun.

Purple hardly talked to him anymore, and honestly… Red was partly ok with that. He hadn't heard back from that soldier Tak yet. It was so unbelievable that Purple would do anything like that because of the fight they were having. I mean gathering an army was really drastic…

"Uhh sir…? I finished my report." Red was pulled out of his thoughts and looked up at the invader on the screen.

"Yes. Good work. You are a credit to Galatic Conquest." The Irken saluted his leader and the transmission was ended. Red sighed and leaned back, finaly done with those stupid calls. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the screen popped back up. It was Tak.

"My Tallest," she bowed. "I was wondering if you could confirm the locations of one of our fleets. They seem to be in an odd position and I was hoping you could tell me you sent them there."

Red looked up at the screen with one antenna raised. "Uhh… Yes." He ordered the two soldiers with him to leave the room. "The lesser fleets are currently split into three groups. They're in quadrants 5, 123, and 42, assigned to assisting in the control of conquered planets. The main fleet is here with me in quadrant 79. Then of course there is the fleet that guards Irk." Of course he knew where all the fleets were. He was the one that did most of the commanding. It was only since Purple got mad that he started caring about giving orders… Wait… Was he doing it on purpose!? Maybe he really is trying to gather an army!

"Yes I thought as much." The short-purple-eyed Irken shook her head. "Sir there is one fleet in quadrent 11 that is not part of the defense of our homeworld. I've tried to speak with hem but they refuse to explain their presence there." Red was shocked. Sure he hadn't been on Irk in a while, but he still should have known there was an extra fleet there.

The door behind him hissed open. Tak gasped and cut the transmission. Purple came in and floated over to the couch. Red's eyes narrowed as he stared at the traitor.

"Probing Day's over?" Purple asked awkwardly.

"Yeah no thanks to you."

Purple looked guiltily at his fellow leader. "I'm sorry. You work so hard maybe you should go take a break. You could go to the vacation planet in quadrant 11."

_He's trying to get rid of me! He wants me to go there so his fleet can ambush me! _Tallest Red wouldn't let himself get taken out that easily. "That's alright I'm fine right here." Purple looked annoyed at his response. Red smiled smugly. _Your plan failed. What will you do now that you know you can't trick me?_

Purple looked nervous and floated over to the window. "You haven't rested in a few months. Maybe you need a nap. You look tired." He turned around with a smile of fake confidence, "I can take care of the fleet for now."

"I said it's fine. Don't you have a doughnut to eat or something." Red gave him a victorious smile as Purple looked like he wanted to claw him to death.

"You're so stubborn!" Purple yelled, then he floated out of the room as fast as his hover disk would take him.

Red turned around to gaze out the window. He couldn't trust Purple anymore. He couldn't even trust the soldiers on the ship. The only one that was helping him was that soldier Tak. If things ended without a war he decided he would have to give Tak everything she deserves for her loyalty.

* * *

_So much irony in this chapter! Scarcasm at it's finest! I bet you all are wondering now what Purple is up to huh? WELL TOO BAD IM NOT TELLING TILL LATER! MUAHAHAHA! Evil author!_


	24. Allies

**_Important!_**_ Please note that in chapter 22 - Will you hold my Memories (Dib) - I changed something in the story. If you go back and re-read and don't see what it is, it's not a huge deal but it was a significant detail that I changed._

* * *

Chapter 24 - Allies

Baby: - weeks; - days  
ETA Irk: - days

Zim's antennae started picking up sound before he really understood he was awake. Even when he did realize this, he didn't move or even breathe faster. He just laid there thinking about what had happened before he passed out. How could he forget about Kam and Dib? All those years on earth, for a short time it had been like they never existed. That machine… the Vortian said they would use it to drain his PAK's memories… only a few minutes of being hooked up to it and he had attacked his best friend and tried to shoot the love of his life.

Were Irkens really that fragile? Their PAK gave them life. Losing it took it away. _We claim we're a superior race… but are we? We can't even survive without this hunk of metal on our backs. _All those tools and equipment in his PAK… he still couldn't stop them…

Someone was pacing around the room. Those soft footsteps… It had to be Kam… _How can I even face her…?_ He had told her not to worry; had promised her that he wouldn't let anyone hurt her… and yet he almost… Zim hated saying sorry but this was one time he knew it was necessary.

Zim decided to just get it over with. Slowly he sat up. Kam turned when she heard him moving, but Zim didn't look at her. How could he? "Kam... I'm…" The wind was knocked out of him as Kam slammed into him, hugging him tightly. He stared over Kam's shoulder feeling very confused. "Kam.. I"

"Zim I'm so sorry! I swear to Irk it was an accident! Gawd you had me scared… I was so afraid you'd never wake up…"

"Huh? What are you.. Never mind! I was trying to say I'm sorry for attacking… wait… what do you mean never wake up? How long have I been out?"

Kam sat back and rubbed some tears from her eyes. The sight of her would have put Zim back into a coma from shock but the author didn't feel like describing him waking up again. Kam's stomach was a melon. Zim couldn't do anything other than stare.

Kam laughed and pulled his eyes up to look at hers. "You've been out for 3 weeks… I may have accidently re-routed too much power into it when I was trying to return your memories to your PAK… Sorry…"

Zim blinked a couple times and shook his head. He reached up to scratch his antenna and then exhaled loudly. Finally he looked up at his wife. "We really need to watch you when you're working on machines."

**In a room on the Resisty's ship:**  
Dib sat messing with the hole Zim had ripped in his coat. This stupid meeting had been going on for days. Why was he even acting as the negotiator for the Irkens anyway? Not to mention that some of these aliens were even more stupid than his former classmates back on earth. The Ice Cream Cone still had the same stupid look on his face and Lard Nar had pretty much said nothing of significance the entire meeting. Well it wasn't like they could do much until Zim woke up anyway. Mostly they just ate snacks and watched GIR run around the room; some of the aliens had even joined him.

Much to Dib's surprise, the little robot had been surprisingly sane the past few weeks. He fulfilled every order Kam had given him and hadn't once run off looking for taquitos. GIR still made no sense when he talked. But it seemed a more orderly kind of nonsense than usual. Maybe it had something to do with that AI adapter. Had his old one been malfunctioning before it even broke?

Dib looked down to see GIR tugging at his shirt. "What GIR?"

"WE GONNA HAVE A PARTY!" GIR SQUEELED.

Dib raised an eyebrow and looked around the room. It already seemed like a party… albeit a really lame one. He looked back down at the robot. "You like to party?" GIR nodded happily, his tongue sticking out.

"Me and Pig gonna throw Master a BIIIIIG PARTY! With Lots of Waffles!" GIR squeezed his piggy so tight the eyes almost popped out. Dib smiled at him and patted his small metal head.

"Sure. We can do that when Zim wakes up."

Gir's smile got really big. He threw his arms up over his head and screamed; "WAFFLES!" then he ran towards the door of the conference room. The door hissed open.

_Well if that isn't the funniest thing I've ever seen I don't know what is._ Dib stood up and went over to the door laughing. Zim was standing in the doorway with Kam latched to his side and GIR attached to his leg. "Welcome back to the world of the living. I noticed you grew some new appendages while you were away."

Zim raised an antenna, clearly showing he was not amused. "Well Earth-stink. Glad to see you didn't die. Judging from that sizeable hole in your jacket though… I'd say your skills are a little rusty." The two of them laughed and clasped forearms.

"I'm glad you're awake." Dib said.

"Me too." Zim turned to face the room. All the members of the Resisty had stopped to stare at them. Zim cleared his throat and walked up to Lard Nar. "I apologize for attacking you. I did mean what I said though. It isn't right what the Irken Empire is doing. I want to stop it, but I'll need help." He reached out his hand to the Vortian.

Lard Nar scratched the base of his broken horn and looked up at Zim. Smiling he accepted Zim's hand. "We need to come up with a plan. I hope you aren't tired from your extended sleep. Something has happened on your home world that may cause some problems."

Baby: 1.1 week; 8 days  
ETA Irk: 3 days

* * *

_There's the clock. The Resisty's ship is much more advanced, so they were able to fly faster. _

_It seems my story is comming to it's close. No idea how many more chapters that will take though. Thanks to all those that have favorited it! Makes me happy to know people like it! I hope you all stick with me after this cause I've got a lot of ideas. _


	25. Planning the Likely to Fail

Chapter 25 – Planning the Likely to Fail

Baby: 1.1 week; 8 days  
ETA Irk: 1 day

Zim listened with growing concern as Lard Nar and Dib took turns explain everything that had happened after Kam had nearly fried him. They had turned the ship to head towards the Irken home world. For now they couldn't get any closer without being spotted by the planet's main defense fleet. Lard Nar showed them scans with the locations of squads in the fleet. There were only a few breaks where a ship could fly in between them without being seen. The scanners would still find them but hopefully a team could make it onto the planet before that happened.

The real problem was that the main fleet had made a V-line for Irk within the past week. They would arrive in less than a day. The Resisty got information on the main fleet from a spy that was being kept as a slave on the Massive. Their source had told them that the fight between the Tallests had gotten worse. While before they were just contradicting each other, now they were splitting the fleet. Many Irkens were sure one of them would be knocked down from their position, and the soldiers were becoming quick to side with the one they thought would win. Fights were breaking out all over the Massive.

Zim closed his eyes trying to think. He couldn't imagine those two fighting. Red was the most responsible, he would never let personal matters put the empire at risk. Purple was always easy going. He pretty much went along with whatever Red was doing, and made it fun for both of them. While Red had excelled in strategizing Purple had been best with direct combat. They were an unbeatable team…. Yet somehow they couldn't stop him from destroying half the planet… Ironic wasn't it?

Zim leaned back in his chair and sighed. Getting onto the planet wouldn't be hard. His PAK would still be recognized by the defense grid, even if it did set off a red flag afterwards they would still make it onto the planet without being destroyed. Once they were on the planet though every Irken authority would be after them.

Even if he weren't traveling with beings of different species, his new height would make him stick out like a sore antenna. It would be hard enough to get through the main city, let alone trying to get up to where the Control Brains were; which, in the end, was what everything came down to. He would have to get the Control Brains to accept his new height into the records. They could worry about getting to the Tallests after that.

**Dib's PoV:** Everyone had been silent for a long time before Zim finally felt like speaking. "This won't be easy. But it is possible." Everyone leaned forward eager to know the plan. Zim extended a cord from his pack to put out a projection on the table where everyone could see it. "This is Capital City. It's the most heavily guarded area on the planet and we'll need to get to the middle of it." He pointed to a tall tower at the city's center. "This is where the Control Brains are.

"Because I was officially banished to a non-controlled planet, the Brains would have cut all connection with my PAK. They can't completely wipe me from the system, they tried once and failed, but they can turn off my PAK's automated updates. I'll have to go to them first to have my height re-established with the empire." Dib noticed that Zim looked nervous as he said this.

"Ok so how do we get there?" Dib asked, "you said the city is guarded, but by what?" He watched as the hologram zoomed out to one of the edges of the city. The picture stopped on a gateway with a simple image of an Irken standing next to it.

"To get into the city you have to walk through one of these gates. All ships flying into the area are shot down. Not that anyone ever breaks that rule; it's mostly for weeding out… for weeding out Defectives that can't follow orders."

The image of the Irken walked through the gate and displayed a happy thumbs up, which Dib thought was unnecessary. Next up, came a miniature that he was sure was Zim messing with him. It had glasses a black coat and a really big head. This too walked through the gate. But instead of looking happy it grabbed its head which exploded a second later.

"This is what happens if an inferior species tries to enter the city. Even if they were disguised…" The same large headed guy popped up, this time with added antennae on its head. It walked through the gate again and its head exploded again. "…The gates can tell by the genetics."

"Did you really have to use me for those examples…?" Dib mumbled. Zim ignored him.

"The gate could be deactivated but it would only stay off for a minute at most. And security would be there faster than a meat-thirsty Hogulis."

"A distraction elsewhere would keep security away long enough for a small team to get inside." Lard Nar pointed out. Zim nodded. _Wow_. Dib was wondering where all this calm well thought out strategy was back when Zim was trying to destroy the earth. _Glad I'm not the one going against him now._

"Assuming we make it through the gate we'll have to head north through the city to reach the tower. If no one sees me going through the gate I'll be able to get into the tower."

"Is there security here like that other one?" Kam asked. Zim shook his head.

"It's not needed. No aliens would be within the city anyway." The image shifted over to the tower. "There will be soldiers there but with my height they'll know exactly why I'm there. With the current Tallests fighting I wouldn't be surprised if they let us in 'no questions asked.' We can bring some weapons with just in case though."

A thought occurred to Dib, "They wouldn't contact the current Tallest to tell them about you would they?"

Zim stared at the hologram. "There's a good chance they would. Normally there wouldn't be a new tall Irken unless the Control Brains determined the current Tallest was incapable or dead. But Red and Purple haven't been fighting long enough for a verdict to be made. They won't be expecting me."

GIR ran into the room carrying 20 plates of waffles. They decided to eat while they worked out the details on the plan. But with everyone eating waffles there was no one to notice that a small irken vessel was floating alongside the Vort ship, eavesdropping on their talks.

It had taken Tak a while to locate Zim's PAK since he wasn't linked to the Irken servers anymore; but with everything she had just heard, it was definitely worth it.

* * *

_And you thought I would just let this plan run along smoothly? HA! Nothing ever works out as it should in the Invader Zim Universe! Plans were made to be broken!_


	26. Team Not-Irken

Chapter 26 – Team Not-Irken

Baby: 1 week; 7 days  
ETA Irk: 2 Hours

Dib sat trying to ignore his friends' argument. He turned to look at himself in the mirror again. Just to make sure his disguise was still in place. Unlike Zim's human disguise this was actually really good. Dib looked exactly like a tall Irken. He rubbed his eyes trying to make the blue irken contacts a little more comfortable. He was also having issues keeping his glasses on, considering the disguise had hidden his ears and nose. It truly amazed Dib to think that the floating Ice Cream Cone was a skilled make-up artist. I mean how can you do someone's make-up without any hands?

He sat back and put his three fingered gloved hand up over his head, careful to not mess up the spike on his hair which had been parted to look like antennae. Were they ever gonna stop fighting? Kam should have enough sense to know she couldn't come when she's so pregnant. Dib scooped up GIR as he ran past. _Oh no. You'd only make it worse,_ Dib thought to himself. Honestly Dib was worried about them bringing the robot with but Zim pointed out how serious GIR had been during the planning meeting, after he had made the waffles, and Dib had no choice but to agree.

It was an hour before Kam finally left the room in a huff. She stormed past Dib and out the door. Zim came out a moment latter looking guilty.

"It's not like she would be able to keep up." Dib told him, as he sat messing with GIR's antenna.

"I know…" Zim came and sat down next to Dib. GIR jumped at the chance to latch onto his master's leg again. He patted the robot then looked at Dib. "If I didn't know any better I'd say there was an ugly Irken sitting here."

"I look ugly?" Dib looked into the mirror again. Zim laughed.

The door opened with a hiss and another Irken-disguised-person came in. The short Irken walked over to Zim. "Invader Kark Reporting for duty." She said and winked at Dib.

Dib looked at this newcomer. Her contacts were a dark green and her eyes were narrower than a normal Irken's. She wore a black soldier's uniform. Her green skin was dull in color and the black antennae on her head were thick and smoothly curved. Dib was rather impressed. Apparently Zim wasn't.

"Vortian, right?"

She looked devastated. "Is it that obvious?"

"No Zim's just used to seeing his own kind." Dib defended. He elbowed Zim in his squeedlyspooch when he mumbled something about the other Irkens being used to it also.

"Well anyway," She stood at attention. "My leader Lard Nar has assigned me to join you going through the city. He plans to lead the distraction team himself. Besides, it will be good to have someone who looks the average height coming along." Dib agreed this was a good idea.

"Well then," She saluted them again, "I have more preparations to make," and she left the room.

"I feel like I met her before" Dib said scratching his head before he remembered that he had a green bald cap on.

"Well she has been on this ship the whole time"

"Yeah I guess…"

Zim got up and stretched. It had been a long time since Dib had seen him wearing his Invader uniform. Zim had always still worn his gloves and boots but it was the year before they entered Hi Skool that he had ditched the dress-like uniform for more earthen clothing. The whole situation had Dib's stomach in a knot.

"What are you going to do if this plan actually succeeds?" Dib asked staring at the ground.

"Not sure yet. You know me, I'm terrible at thinking ahead."

"That's not an answer. We're talking about having you installed as the new Irken leader. If you do this you won't exactly be able to come back to earth anytime soon. You know that right?" Dib looked up at his friend. They had known each other for so long. Dealing with aliens was the only interesting thing in his life. Would all of that leave with Zim?

"You humans are always worrying. I AM ZIM. I'll figure something out." He tried to sound confident, but Dib could hear the waver in his voice. An announcement came over the ship's speakers. They would arrive at the launch point in one hour. As they walked upstairs Dib felt both excited that he would finally see Irk, and afraid of what he would find there.


	27. Operation Impending Raid 1

_Finally the title of the Story has become true! Zim has made it back to his planet! Dib must be ecstatic to see where Zim came from!_

_Once again keep in mind __**my story assumes that the un-finished episode Invader Dib NEVER HAPPENED!**_

* * *

Chapter 27 –Operation Impending Raid 1

Baby: 7 days

Zim Dib and Kark all held their breath as their tiny ship passed through one of the gaps between groups of ships circling the planet. Not that holding their breath would really improve their situation. The ship had a cloaking device but if someone in the fleet happened to look their way the boosters on the ship would put off enough heat energy to be seen. Even so… none of them dared to speak until they had made it beyond the defensive lines.

The message they had been waiting for came over the COMfrequency. The automated security grid said in a very robotic voice "Attention: You are now entering Irken airspace. Insert your PAK ID number now. "

Zim inserted his ID code praying it would still be accepted. After a few moments of panic they got the 'All Clear' to enter. Zim hit the thrusters. They needed to land outside the city before the security system realized he was labeled as 'banished' and alerted the fleet. It wasn't until they were in the lower atmosphere that Zim lowered their speed. There was no turning back now.

"Here. We can land over there." Kark pointed to an empty area on the planets surfacing map. There weren't many empty areas on the planet, being that it was so populated. This one was a few miles from the city's boundary. It would have to do. Zim brought the ship down between some old buildings. Looking around he realized why this area was empty. It was one of the places he had destroyed during Impending Doom 1. They must not have gotten around to repairing it yet.

They got out of the ship, Dib and Kark adjusted their fake PAKs and double checked their disguises. Zim checked the scanner to find the locations of nearby Irkens and they were off. They would have to move fast if they wanted to get to the gates before Lard Nar and his team came in.

They came upon the main road into the city before too long. The road wasn't too busy this far away so they decided it would be a good spot to join in with the crowd where they wouldn't be noticed coming out of their hiding place, because two tall Irkens and a short one with curved antennae would definitely attract attention ducking out of a bush. Or they would if there were any bushes on Irk.

They joined with the crowd one at a time to avoid notice but they made sure to stay within sight. As they got closer to the city Dib and Zim were attracting notice from other Irkens in the crowd. Such a tall Irken was rare but two of them so close together? One small Irken with amber eyes came up to Dib and tugged on his invader uniform.

"Wow you're really tall. Are you going into the city?"

Dib nodded. "Are you going in also?" Dib made sure to speak in Irken. He was glad he had learned it when he was younger. He and Kark had been warned not to talk if an Irken was actually paying attention to them. It would be too easy for one to notice the words were being translated by their PAK.

The shorter Irken nodded, "You must be pretty young. There haven't been any Taller smeets in a long time. Not since the current Tallests. They were after my group but there wasn't a Taller in my years either." The Irken just walked along with Dib making small talk. "So you're an invader huh? I'm surprised. One would think with your height you could be in charge of a planet rather than sent to do the dirty work of taking it over."

"Being an invader is 'dirty work'?"

The Irken's antenna twitched. "Don't tell me they're teaching you youngsters that it's glorious… These Tallests today, they don't really care much about the home world anymore. Just want to expand their power. Maybe I'm getting too old but I feel sorry for you."

The Irken turned as he heard another call his name. He bid Dib farewell and went off into the crowd with his friend.

"Where'd you learn to speak Irken?" Kark came up beside him.

"I picked it up from Zim back when he was trying to take over my planet." The two of them kept walking keeping an eye on Zim who was further ahead.

"So what's it like?"

"Huh?"

"On your planet. Ever seen a city like this?" Kark kept her voice low not wanting to be recognized as Vort.

"Well we have cities but nothing like this. It's so crowded here." Dib just kept talking in Irken knowing Kark had a translator.

"Vort has cities also, but the only ones that live there are the scientists. Most of us prefer to live on scattered farms or smaller villages. Since our planet is larger there's more space. Well there was until it was taken over by the empire."

Dib looked down at Kark. He wondered if the little alien was nervous coming into a large city. Then again there were plenty of other reasons to be nervous right now.

When they came within sight of the city gates they received yet another reason to be nervous. The number of security guards there was not what they had expected. Instead of two by each gate, there were at least 20 hardened Irken warriors standing between them and the city.

* * *

_**Hey guys! **I know you've gotten used to me **posting everyday** but that** will probably stop**. I'm having issues keeping up with school and my new hobby. Kinda sad cause I like writing this so much but I got a lot of crap I'm behind on._ Sorry. I made this chapter last night so here ya go. I won't quit the story just gonna be a bit stalled.


	28. Operation Impending Raid 2

_Ok I lied. I got so stressed yesterday that I quit my work and started writing. Stupid choice. Now I have half that work to do today... And I have a test I didn't study for... Well anyway leave a comment if you like it. Kark is really cute in this chapter._

* * *

Chapter 28 - Operation Impending Raid 2

Kark made a string of sounds that Dib's translator didn't translate which he safely assumed meant it was a series of Vort swears. He also felt like letting out a few of the Plookesian swears he had learned, since they were the space equivalent of German in that they sounded worse than they were. The two of them moved over to the side of the path where Zim was already waiting.

"Now what?" Dib asked.

"How many are there?" Kark looked over at the gate.

"25 soldiers, 3 Sergeants and 1 special task force member." Zim said looking casual, as if this was no big deal. It would be normal for an Irken to be confused at the extra security, and there were other groups standing outside the gates just talking and hanging out. Most of them were older Irkens though.

"What are the special task force like here?"

"Well to put it nicely. With no weapons they can do more damage than your planet's nuclear bomb in a shorter amount of time and not even break a sweat."

"That's not good…" Dib said feeling his PAK squirming.

"What can we do to get past them?" Kark knew a nuclear bomb was some form of primitive technology but it still didn't make her want to fight that Irken with the bright orange uniform. Something was worrying her though. Why were they here today of all days_? Did they somehow find out that we were coming?_ Or did this have to do with the fact that the Tallests are arriving back on planet in a few hours? Before she could voice this question though, Zim went behind Dib and secretly unzipped his fake PAK.

"GIR I need you to listen very very very very…" GIR went into duty mode, "Oh… Good work. Now I need you to stay out of sight for a bit. Once we get the signal you have to go and play with the guy wearing orange." GIR's eyes went blue again and he silently clapped his excitement.

The group stayed over to the side talking and trying to look normal. Kark avoided speaking because the two tall Irkens were drawing attention. The Irk star was now high overhead. Lard Nar's team should be making their move any time now. Zim switched his PAK to intercept the frequency of the soldiers, listening for the signal. Several hours passed but it never came.

"We can't wait any longer," Kark whispered, "We're attracting notice from the guards by now. If we don't get a move on they'll notice." Zim agreed.

"Go GIR, and use as many of your weapons systems as you can. Try not to get destroyed though." Zim hissed as the little robot squealed in delight and ran off, red eyes beaming brightly.

Bombs started exploding to the right of the gate. The soldiers moved like they had been expecting this, confirming Kark's suspicions. _They know we're here._ Half the soldiers split off, 15 soldiers and 2 Officers. The remaining 10 soldiers, 1 officer and the lone STF remained at the gate. Zim began walking toward the gate, bending his knees a bit to try and appear shorter.

The plan was that he would go in first, drop an energy disrupter(ED) to mess up the genetic scanner then the other two would follow. As he got closer to the gate he used his Pak to attach the ED to a nearby Irken who was slightly taller than the crowd but nowhere near being called a Taller. He could apologize if he survived this day.

When it was Zim's turn to enter the gate, one of the soldiers came up to him, "Step out of line please. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"What? Why? I didn't do anything?" Real smooth Zim. The tall-ish Irken with the ED was almost up to the gate.

"Open your PAK and present your coding information."

"For what reason should I do this? I have done nothing wrong. I'm surprised a soldier has the nerve to bother a Taller."

The soldiers eyes narrowed. "Forgive me my Taller. However I must ask you again. Present your coding information now or…" The ED exploded around the Tall-ish Irken. An alarm started blaring and Zim saw to his horror that a metal gate lowering in front of the entrance. There wasn't time to get Kark and Dib in!

Kark clearly thought otherwise. She made a mad dash for the gate and slid under it just before it closed. She stared straight at the Irken that had unknowingly had the device and yelled as loud as she could, "REVOLUTION!" and she ran off into the streets. The metal gate was quickly raised and the soldiers were off after her. The tall-ish irken was pinned to the ground by the STF officer. Zim was in shock that she had just used herself as bait. Dib came up, grabbed his arm and dragged him through the gate.

"What on Irk was that about!?" Zim hissed at him as they went through the gate.

"We sorta guessed there would be a problem while you were off in line." Dib whispered. He was glad to see his head didn't explode. "She offered to lead them away so you and I could reach the tower. Let's just do her a favor and be sure to get there."


	29. Problems with Problems

_Once again Wow Writing is a really good De-stresser! Hae Ho Hae Ho! It's back to work I go!_

* * *

Chapter 29 – Problems with Problems

"My Tallests. Commander Gerslache reporting!" Red nearly jumped out of his skin. He and Purple had been arugeing again and he hadn't really expected the screen to come on. "There's been a security breech in Central City. I strongly advise you delay your return to the planet's surface."

"How could anyone break through Central City's security?" Purple asked. Oh sure he looked confused but Red knew better. This was part of the plot Staff Sergeant Tak had told him about. It had to be.

"We're not going to delay our arrival." Red announced and took a sip of his juice.

"I don't know. Maybe we should… I mean wouldn't it be better to be safe rather than sorry?" Purple looked worried. Of course he was. If Red got to the Control Brains before that little team of his, then his plan would fail. Whatever that plan was…

"You aren't worried that a few rogue aliens could get through all of the best Irken security are you?" Red mocked.

"Well, no that's not likely. I admit."

"But you think they can. Clearly or else you wouldn't have sent them."

"I'm just saying…" Purple's eyes bulged out. "What do you mean I sent them?"

"You heard what I said traitor! I know all about your attempts to get all the power of the empire for yourself!" Yeah Red knew it wasn't good to let his enemy know he was on to him. He just wanted to see the panic in those Purple eyes when he realized he had failed. "I plan to go to the control brains and have you removed from being CoTallest!"

Purple looked stunned. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about that Taller you sent to Invader Splooche. The same Taller leading a team to the control brains."

"You can't seriously think I would…"

"Oh I don't just think. GUARDS! Take him away somewhere I don't have to see him till the Control brains can make a judgment."

"You're crazy!" The guards came up and took Tallest Purple by the arms. "You're making a mistake!" The guards pulled him out of the room. Red had made extra sure that the guards in the room with him were all ones that would follow his orders. Those that sided with that traitor would have to be weeded out later.

Red stared out the window in the direction of Irk. Whatever Purple had been planning depended completely on that Taller reaching the Control Brains, and with the added guards Red had re-assigned to the city, there was no chance they would ever reach there.

**Central City, Irk:** Zim and Dib tried to be casual but there were so many guards around that they were constantly ducking behind corners.

"I don't get it." Zim said after the fifth time they were forced to hide, "Why is there so much security? During Impending Doom 1 they knew I was on planet and didn't listen to orders, and there STILL wasn't this much security…"

Dib was getting tired, and more than a little worried about Kark. She hadn't tried to contact them or anything. While Zim had waited in line to enter, the two of them had discussed Kark's fear that somehow the empire had found out about their plan. He had actually been the one to offer to be the bait but she had insisted upon playing the role.

"It would be easier to explain a Vort being involved than it would a Hyooman." She had said. "If they learned what planet you're from they would immediately know Zim was involved. No matter what happens we need to keep the Empire as clueless as we can." Kark was definitely a soldier with a good head on her shoulders. Dib wished she was here now. After all, he and Zim weren't exactly the fastest thinkers, and they were going to need a new plan.

Zim and Dib walked through an alleyway off of the main streets. They took back roads for a few blocks. Sounds of explosions came from back towards the gate of the city. Dib could see from the look on Zim's face he was worried about GIR. What Dib couldn't understand was what happened to their distraction team?

**The Resisty Ship: **"GET US OUT OF HERE!" Lard Nar yelled to the one piloting the ship. The Irken would have to find his own way into the city. The Vort ship sped away full thrusters. They had thought they had the element of surprise but as soon as Zim and his team had cleared the atmosphere the fleet had come after them. Irken ships were smaller and faster than Vort ones. Normaly those that remained on the ship would be prepared for the consequences of capture, as long as the mission was complete what else mattered?

_But he__ insisted upon that Human's safety as a priority,_ Lard Nar reminded himself, as he slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. The one condition that stupid Irken had insisted on might bring them to their doom. To make matters worse that condition was useless now. Apparently her species became very weak when it came time to give birth.

* * *

_If that ending confuses you leave a message and I'll send you P/M to explain it. I tried fixing it so it was easier to understand but still sounded good. _


	30. A Kark Load of Trouble

_So yeah... going a day without posting isn't going to happen. I'm having too much fun with this. I hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am! Sorry that the end of the last chapter was confusing! I went and tried to fix it so it still sounded good but explained it a little bit more. _

* * *

Chapter 30 – A Kark Load of Trouble

Kark let out a sigh of relief. She had finally managed to give her pursuers the slip. Only problem was now she didn't know where she was. Being of such a short species made it hard to see over tall buildings, or for that matter, even the heads of others. Irkens were short but Vortians were even shorter.

Kark let out a curse and continued walking casually, hoping she would come to a main road that would let her see the center tower. A few explosions echoed through the city but they were far away. It seemed she had indeed put some distance between herself and the gate. Though they weren't immediately close by there were still soldiers around looking for her. It would be too risky to try contact Dib and Zim.

'_Oh yeah I really look like I belong here.'_ She thought to herself. She'd walked into a dead end. Kark turned around and headed down another street. This one was also a dead end. _Third times the lucky Adrion Foot…or not…_ Another dead end. The buildings in this city were so tightly packed she had never seen anything like it. _How can Irkens live like this?_

The fourth attempt led her back to the main road. Now she felt grateful that her horns didn't reach over the heads of the average Irken. By mixing into the middle of the crowd she was able to walk past several groups of soldiers. When the center tower finally came into view around the corner it seemed like it was even farther away than it had been upon entering the city.

_Now what was that Plookesian swear that the Dib-human had said?_ She continued on walking along behind larger groups trying to stay out of sight. She overheard one group of soldiers talking as she passed by.

"I get that the orders came straight from the Tallest but you'd think if it was so important they could at least tell us why we're chasing a Taller and his friends."

"Look with things the way they are I really wouldn't want to be the one caught questioning them."

"But you know things can't go on like this. I mean have you heard how they've been programing the smeets these past few years? I talked to a buddy of mine an hour ago and he told me he met a Taller going to receive Invader orders. I mean can you imagine a TALLER doing that grunt work? You know that's gotta be wrong."

"Like I said, I won't be **caught** questioning it."

_Well at least they don't know why we're here._ Kark thought. This new information could be important. If there were Irkens questioning their leaders maybe some persuasion could be to their benefit. Kark got so lost in thought she accidently bumped into a trash disposal unit. It fell over and went rolling down the street. Right up to the soldiers she had passed. _Uh oh…_

"THERE! That's one of them!"

The crowd was getting thick up ahead and the soldiers could see over it better than she. Kark was having trouble pushing her way through the mass of Irkens.

"Hold it you!" One of the soldiers grabbed her arm. The Irken-hand-glove slipped off. _Oh Takos! Now I'm in for it…_ But the loss of a hand confused the soldier enough for her to get away. It wasn't long before they were gaining on her again. _Nowhere to hide!_

_"_Over here." Her gloved hand was grabbed and dragged down a side street. The stranger took her down several more turns until the soldiers were out of sight.

"Thanks. You saved my hide." Kark turned to the Irken that had rescued her. She wasn't planning to say why she was being chased, but past experience said never run from someone that knows the area better than you.

"No problem." The Irken turned to look at Kark. "Actually there's a reason I helped you. I saw you traveling with an old friend. He isn't supposed to be on this planet so I was hoping you could tell me why Zim is back here."

"You know Zim?"

"Oh yeah we go way back. I'm not sure what's going on but if there's anything I can do to help." The Irken shrugged.

"Actually you could help me get to the Center Tower. I've gotten lost a few times. Getting directions would be great."

"I'd be happy to show you the way. These back streets are like a maze even if I told you the way you'd probably forget."

Kark didn't want to put the Irken in danger but there wasn't really any time to waste. "Ok. Let's go. I'm Kark by the way. Mind telling me your name?"

The Irken smiled at her. "Pleasure to meet you. You can call me Tak."


	31. B-Irk-nana Split

_This chapter is a little bit longer. Please forgive the excess Dialogue but it was too cute to leave out!._

* * *

**Chapter 31 – B-Irk-nana Split**

"GO! RUN!" Zim ran just behind Dib, occasionally lifting him up whenever something caused him to trip or get stalled. They were lucky that the streets were so crowded; the soldiers had to restrain themselves and couldn't just pull out their lasers and start shooting. But this also meant they couldn't move up over the crowd or they would be sitting ducks.

_Not that we're doing much better now… _Zim thought to himself as he once again picked up Dib.

"We need a new plan!" Dib yelled. "We can't keep this up! They're gaining on us and the crowd… ouff…" He got hit in the face by some small flying robot, "…is getting thicker."

Zim ducked around a corner, pulling Dib with him, and dashed down some side streets.

"Listen Zim, I have an idea but you won't like it."

"No! We are not splitting up!"

"But we…"

"NO! We'll figure something out…" They continued running until the sound of the crowd died behind them. The shouts of the guards were still there and getting closer but they had a moment to stop and breathe.

"Zim We're too easily spotted together." Dib reached into his fake PAK and pulled out some Irken Eye Contacts. He shoved two at Zim and took out and replaced his own.

"What are these?"

"Lenses. You've worn them before."

"Yes but why do I need to wear lenses when my eyes are already Irken?"

"Those ones are blue."

"I can see that. Why?"

Dib looked up; his eyes were now pink, "because it's you that needs to get there. They've got a picture of you with pink eyes but if you switch to blue and we split up maybe you can get past them."

"Earth-stink do you really think that Eye color is the only way we tell each other apart?"

"Nope." Dib rifled around in his fake PAK some more, he pulled out two black swirls.

"What are those?"

"Turn around so I can put these on you."

And then Zim realized what they were. "No… no way… Not in a million Irk cycles!"

* * *

"This is humiliating…" Well no one could really tell that he was wearing fake antennae but that made it all that much worse. Irken males DO NOT have curly antennae… EVER! If one did they would be better off cutting them before they even left the training school.

Zim walked along through the streets. The plan was working rather well, though he still didn't like Dib being out of sight. It had been smart of the Dib-thing to think about disguising after they entered the city. On the other hand… Being dressed in a female uniform… with Curly antennae… was making the goo rush into Zim's head… Not to mention… the added weight to his antennae and the throbbing pain from even having those extensions attached.

"I'll get him for this…" Zim muttered after a male Irken came up and told him he was attractive. Taller females were rare. The last one had been Tallest Miyuki. _Maybe she's better of that I destroyed her. _

Even with his disguise Zim still made sure to avoid groups of soldiers. Though now he mostly did this by walking on the other side of the street. He did get stopped once but the soldier just asked if he had seen any of the rebel Irkens. To which he calmly responded, "NO WHY WOULD I!? AAAAAHHH" and ran away.

"Phew… That was close…"

Less than a 5 blocks from Center tower now, Zim stopped and leaned against the wall of a snack bar, keeping a look out for Dib and Kark. He waited for an hour then moved a couple streets closer to the tower, waited again then went closer. He didn't want to go to the Control Brains alone just in case a trap had already been set up.

Eventually the Irk star was dipping low to the horizon. It had been nearly 15 earth hours since they had arrived on planet, and they had all been split up for almost six of those hours. Zim was starting to worry about his companions. There would be no way to search for them without giving up his location. The city was just too big.

He walked along the road that circled the tower. He'd gone around probably three times and still had seen neither horn nor hair of his group. He wasn't even sure if he could even get into the tower alone anymore. Soldiers encircled the entire building. _Why is there so much security…? Did they know we were coming? How could they have known though?_

"Pssst."

His eyes opened when he heard the sound. A black gloved hand was waving to him out of an alley way. Zim walked over to see who was there. He was disappointed it wasn't Dib or Kark. It was some other tall Pink-eyed Irken.

"Long time no see Zim."

"Do I know you?"

"Aww come on it's me. Skoodge."

"LIES!... You can't be Skoodge you're too tall." Indeed he was. This other Irken was nearly as tall as Zim was.

"And you can't be Zim cause of those pretty blue eyes and curly-Q antennae. You do remember when I came to that Earth Ceremony right? Well I stuck around the planet for a while to see if it was the reason you'd gotten so much taller, and as you can see…"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH. You really are Skoodge!"

"Well yeah that's what I just said…"

"Interesting. But how did you know I was on Irk?"

"Well actually I didn't until a soldier showed me a picture of you thinking it was me."

"So what are you doing here?"

"Repairing my equipment. I'm not banished like you are."

"I see…"

"Yup…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"So what are you doing here?"

"Trying to get some PAKs."

"Is that all?"

"Maaaybe…"

"Then shouldn't you be over by the smeet factory?"

"Yeeess… I should, shouldn't I?"

"So why are you trying to break into center tower?"

"To overthrow the Talles... I MEAN NOTHING! I WAS SIGHT SEEING!"

"Uh huh… yeah… Sure you were."

"Poor gullible Skoodge, Why would I be up to anything like that?"

"Because you always wanted to be tallest and now because of that planet you are?"

"… I am?"

"I think so. I'm a klik shorter than their Almighty Tallests and you're about a klik and a half taller than me. So I would assume you are taller than them."

"…AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH HH."

"…so much yelling today…"

Zim grabbed Skoodge's face and pulled him close, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS!?"

"You're probably going to tell me."

"I'm the Tallest! They can't hurt me!"

"That's only if you can prove you're tallest. You're banished remember?"

Zim's antennae dropped. He'd almost forgotten. He still had to get into that tower and find his friends. He stood there thinking for a bit then turned to Skoodge. "You havn't seen the other rouge Irkens have you?"

"The Vort and the Human? Nope haven't seen em."

"You could tell what they were?"

Skoodge shrugged. "I've been living around humans long enough, and I guessed Vort from the curved antennae and the fact that a Vort ship got chased away from the planet by the fleet.

"THEY WHAT!?" Zim grabbed Skoodge's shirt in a rage.

"Woah! Calm down! The Vort ship got damaged but it wasn't destroyed. It was on the news earlier. They flew off into an asteroid field and the fleet broke off persuit."

_An Asteroid Field! They had to do something that desperate to get away!?_ Zim was in shock. _Kam... she's in trouble…_ There was no time to waste. He had to get to the Control Brains now! "Skoodge my old friend! How would you like to help me out? Just like old times."

* * *

_Oooo Skoodgey got a mouth on him!  
Planet Earth: So Annoying it can corrupt even the cutest of Invaders!_


	32. Ugly Irken

_I love this chapter title. Actually I love all my titles. Kind of sad only one guy has ever commented on them. Which you made my day by doing by the way! So anyway, heres the newest chapter! Hope you like it! Dib so cute!_

**Chapter 32 – Ugly Irken**

Dib strolled through the streets gazing around like a happy tourist. The building construction here was amazing! This was all that hardened plasma they had tried to make?

"Irken technology is amazing!" Dib said to no one in particular. He got a few stares when he talked to himself but it had always been that way on Earth so he didn't even notice. He stopped at a shop to look around at the different weapons and other PAK supplies that were on the shelves. He couldn't help himself. He knew he should hurry or be trying to hide but when was he going to get this chance again?

He didn't even really have to worry about the Irken soldiers. His disguise swap was working like a charm. Sure he was still getting attention because he was tall but after he had started speaking rken with an accent closer to Tak's everyone just assumed he was an older Irken that had been off on assignment for longer than the Tallests had been in power. Besides what rogue Irken on a mission would be window-shopping?

At one point he thought he might stop and buy a drink but then he noticed that Irkens paid for things with credits encoded into their PAKs. Without a real PAK he didn't really have any money. It would look pretty silly to ask to trade for a juice box. So in the end he kept walking.

There were a couple maps around the streets kind of like there would be in an Earth shopping mall. With all the buildings so tall these were very helpful. He couldn't really see where Center Tower was from the narrow side streets. It seemed like no matter what street he turned down the city was packed. _There's so many of them…_ It's no wonder they control so much of the universe. They probably out-number all other species combined.

Dib consulted a map again. The sun was still high in the sky. _Are Irk days longer than Earth ones? _"I never really did ask Zim about that. Did I?" he shrugged, "I should've brought a watch." He guessed it had been an hour, maybe two, since he and Zim had split up. "Hope he's holding up ok." Dib looked at himself in a window he was passing. No matter how he looked at himself, he looked like an Irken. His antennae and new uniform made him look different than Zim which was good.

"Zim had been furious when I pulled out that uniform. I wonder why? I designed it off of Tak's so it should've been up to soldier standards." _Oh well. Mine is working and no one seems suspicious of me so he'll get over it._ Dib turned a corner to come out onto one of the other main streets that went directly to the tower. "Alright! I can see it again!"

"See what? The tower?" a short irken with amber eyes walked up to him.

"Yeah."

She raised an antenna as she was looking him over. "What are you, a Defective? Why are you wearing a female officer's uniform?" she laughed.

Dib looked down. _Oh that's why he was mad._ He was kind of surprised she had been able to tell he was Male. Maybe it had to do with the bone structure of the face or maybe the shape of the eyes. "A laser misfired and fried my uniform. I was given this one till I can get a new one from home."

She eyed him like he was a disease. "Yeah well anyway there's someone over there who asked if I could get your attention for you. Really short, ugly, with green eyes?"

_Is she talking about Kark? _"Ugly?"

"Sorry personal opinion. You could do so much better."

"Uhh yeah… Where is she?"

The Irken turned around and pointed across the street towards a small shop. "She said she'd meet you at that side street there.

"Great. Thanks."

"No problem." She grabbed his hand as he started to leave, shook it and walked off.

Dib looked at the crumpled up note she'd given him. It was a long line of Irken numbers. _Did I just get her phone number?_ O well. Kark is waiting. Hopefully we'll be able to find Zim again.

* * *

Kark slammed herself into the door again. Once again it didn't even budge. _How could I be so stupid!_ She berated herself. She had been so relieved to find someone who wasn't going to chase her that she walked right into a trap. Tak had led her to the smeet factory and trapped her inside. Normally Kark could easily get out of something like this but she had a feeling that blowing up Irken newborns wasn't the best way to stay on Zim's good side.

She walked around the factory looking for any way out. Smeet pods lined the walls. All the machinery had been turned off and there wasn't anyone around. Tak said she worked here but it had to be more than that for her to know it would be empty and impenetrable. Who exactly was this Irken? Was the whole thing about knowing Zim a lie?_ No. She knows him alright. She recognized him even with his new height. Then she specifically targeted me. What is her plan?_


	33. Hideaway

_Hi to everyone that reads this. Just want to say that hearing people like my stories really makes me happy. My life sucks hard at the moment, 3 family members have terminal cancer, I can't do well in school worth shit, my friends are so busy I never see them, and I'm having serious struggles with my faith. I feel so lost._

_Thank you to all of you for reading this and letting me know that I can actually do something right._

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**Chapter 33 – Hideaway**

"Report. How is the search for the Vort ship going? Any news?"

"Nothing as of yet. Ten squads of one-irk Voot cruisers are combing through the area. The asteroid field is small and nothing was seen exiting the other side. Whether they were destroyed or not, it won't be long until we find them."

"Good work. Report immediately when it's found. And Sergeant, don't forget I want that ship and its crew alive."

"Of course, My Tallest." The soldier saluted his leader and ended the transmission. Red sat back on the couch. How many hours had it been since this whole mess had started? How could those rogues go so long without getting caught? Incompetent soldiers… _It's alright. It's only a matter of time. _

He got up and went over to the window to gaze out at Irk. The bright pink stripes of the planet; how long had it been since he had seen them? Not since the beginning of Operation Impending Doom 2 at least. It's not as if the Tallest's presence was really required there since the Control Brains never left the planet.

Still… Red began to miss the fresh air. _When this is finally all over I'll go down and visit that café that I went to as a young Taller._ The doughnuts from that place were the best…. On second thought maybe I won't get a doughnut. Had Red visited the planet he would have known that he wouldn't be able to get anything from that café, since it had closed not long after the start of Impending Doom 2.

* * *

"You can forget it Zim. I'm not helping."

"But you always used to help me back when we were smeets. We had so much fun. Like that time we broke out of the Education Underground."

"You mean when you broke out by using me as a ladder and then bait for the guards."

"Yeah ok but how about that time on Hobo 13. All those challenges?"

"Where you used me as a bridge and left me to fend for myself against a giant Hogulis?"

"Uhh but…"

"Sorry, I'm not the same gullible invader that the Tallests shot out of a canon. I've already gotten attacked twice today because we look similar. I plan to just hang out here until you get caught."

Zim looked around. The Irk-star was low in the sky. He really didn't have much chance of getting in alone, and it wasn't good to be out after dark on Irk. With the longer rotation on its axis, the temperature fluctuations of Irk were much more drastic than that of Earth. Zim was starting to get worried. He might survive the night with a heat shield from his PAK but Dib and Kark might be in trouble.

Ok new plan. Keep moving and try not to freeze. Zim looked out at the main street. The numbers of Irkens still out and about had dwindled to the dozens. He would be too easily spotted wandering around now. Zim moved back and started to pace around the alley. He hated thinking of plans. Especially since none of them really ever worked.

He glanced over a Skoodge who was leaning against the wall with a disinterested look. "Is your PAK's map up to date?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"On the underground areas to?"

"The smeet training school? I don't know. I haven't really been there to find out. Why?"

"If you sit here all night you're going to get noticed and as you said, we look similar. Next time they might think your PAK data is faked." Skoodge's antennae drooped showing he clearly hadn't thought of that. "You may as well come with me."

"And what if we get caught? Whatever you're up to I'll get blamed for as well. Why would I want to take that risk?"

"I can help you get back at the Tallests for shooting you out of a canon?"

Skoodge stared a Zim for a moment then shrugged, "Yeah ok."

"Yes! Ok where's the nearest entrance tube?"

Skoodge looked around for a big then pointed across the street. Zim checked the street for soldiers and the two of them ran to the escape hatch. The best part about this new plan…? Zim could finally take off the painful curly-Qs attached to his antennae!


	34. Stupid Alone

_Sorry this chapter took me so long to get out! BookCasanova was breathing down my neck. I'm surprised people like my story that much :D Hahaha! Woo I'm special! It also took me awhile cause the website seems to think I did something wrong. Not sure what though... I hope I don't get banned or something..._

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**Chapter 34 – Don't Let Friends Be Stupid Alone**

Skoodge flinched with every echo their footsteps sent through the long hallway. There were 27 rooms in the smeet education underground. Large rooms filled with all smeets, each in a room with their own yearlings. The rooms were spread in a circle under the city. Hallway after hallway spread out between and around them for trainers, mechanics, Commanders looking for perspective recruits. The hallways were always busy ever since Impending Doom 1 had failed. So many soldiers had needed replacement after that disaster.

Skoodge's yearlings had in general become great soldiers, with acception of Zim, they had all made good names for themselves. Even Skoodge had done his part… until the Tallests launched him out of a canon at Blorch that is. He didn't really care though. Zim said he could help him get revenge but Skoodge didn't really want revenge. He thought it would be much funnier to see the Tallests faces when they saw how tall he and Zim were.

He and Zim had been the troublemakers of the smeet years, in comparison with Their Tallests who had been the perfect Irkens. In fact the reason there were only 27 rooms was because Zim had managed to get into several fights with Red and destroy three of them in the process. Skoodge had always sided with Zim not because he was gullible like everyone thought, ok maybe he was a bit, but it was mostly because like Zim he was also bored after 10 years in Smeet Education. Red and Purple had been bored too though they would never say it.

Zim's footsteps died at some point while Skoodge was leading them through the unused tunnels. Turning around he saw Zim staring at a melted gash in the wall.

"What was this from? The third or fourth?" Zim asked running his hand along the melted metal.

"Third. That was the time you cheated off of Red while building lasers. I really thought we were going to die that time."

Zim laughed. "I guess I did cause a lot of trouble for you guys." Skoodge was shocked by Zim's tone as he said this. He sounded like he felt bad. Zim never felt bad. Not even that time he caught Zee in the crossfire and she had to be rushed to the hospital ward to get her antennae re-attached. It was weird seeing Zim looking depressed. Even if most of Zim's plans did fail, they were easy to go along with because he always seemed so confident. Zim's drooping antennae were starting to make Skoodge feel nervous.

"Hey. Remember that time Larb was giving a presentation on battle plans for when outnumbered?"

Zim's antennae perked, "You mean when you modified his pointer so it set the screen on fire?"

"That's the one." Skoodge nodded, "I never did tell you why I did that. It was because Larb had been the one that made your cruiser malfunction when it crashed and broke your arm."

Zim stared at Skoodge. "I bothered you for weeks to find out why you did that, and **NOW** you decided to tell me… wait he what?! I thought I was a bad mechanic because of that! Red and Purple never let me hear the end of it! ...well until Impending Doom 1 anyway. But you got back at him for me? Why?"

Skoodge shrugged and continued walking forcing Zim to rush to catch up with him. Skoodge hadn't told Zim why he'd done it for the same reason he wouldn't now. He was pretty sure he was the only one that considered them friends.

For a while they walked in silence. Skoodge's maps were indeed up to date. Many of the hallways that had been destroyed during the pair's time at the school had been repaired. They had been forced to backtrack and move farther from the tower in order to avoid guards. Then there was one time they were forced to hang from the ceiling, with help from their PAKs, in order to avoid a civilian passerby.

"This should be it." Skoodge said pointing at a large escape tube. "We're right under Center Tower now."

"hey… Thanks for the help. You should probably leave here now."

Skoodge looked back at Zim. He was staring at the floor with a serious look on his face. Confused, Skoodge just stood there.

"I… I can't promise that this won't be dangerous… and… and if you come you could get hurt."

"Yeah I figured that much out when I came with. If you didn't want me coming why did you talk me into it in the first place?"

Zim continued to stare at the floor. His hands were clenched tight and his antennae were pressed flat to his head. _What up with him? _Skoodge wondered, but when Zim didn't give a reason Skoodge turned to step into the tube.

"I already don't know where Dib and Kark are. The only reason Kam had to leave earth was because of me. I just don't want any more friends getting hurt."

Skoodge turned to face Zim. This was the second time Zim's attitude had surprised Skoodge. He thought he had Zim figured out long ago but this day was proving him very wrong. Zim had actually called them friends.

Zim was ready to stop Skoodge as he had just turned and headed for the tube again.

Skoodge sighed. "After all these years, I guess I really still am the same gullible smeet that always went along with your crazy plans. You're worried about the human and vortian right? Well if they're in trouble the best way you can help them is to get done what you have to." Zim's antennae twitched. "We can't do that if we're standing here. Besides, with how much worrying you've been doing, do you really think a friend would do any less and then just let you go alone?"

Skoodge didn't look back to see Zim's face when he said that. Irken's aren't supposed to show too much emotion, but a smile crossed his face when he heard Zim mutter, "Thank you," and follow him into the tube; they headed for what they were both sure would be a long fight to the top floor.


	35. Emergency Doughnuts

_Ok guys sorry for the short break. I accidently got blocked for a bit for not writing with the rules. Don't worry that won't happen again. Here's the next chapter! Sorry for leaving you hanging._

* * *

**Chapter 35 - Emergancy Escape Doughnuts**

"Back away from the door or I'll shoot your friend here!" Tak yelled through the heavy security door. Kark watched unable to do anything for either of their sakes, as Tak disengaged the locks and threw Dib bound and gagged into the room. "Honestly if I were you I'd leave him like that. Humans never were a species that knew when to shut up." Tak said as she retreated through the door.

Kark didn't move until the lock was re-engaged. Once it clicked into place she rushed over to Dib to remove his restraints. "Are you ok?"

"A little battered but I'll live."

"Good to hear cause we'll need to survive this if we plan to help Zim."

Dib sat still as Kark worked to remove the Irken wire restraints. It was something that could be quickly removed by a PAK but was a struggle without one. "So how did she get you?"

Dib sighed, "She lured me to a secluded area by making me think I was headed to meet with you…"

"That dookie… who is she anyway? She said she knows Zim."

"She does. She came to earth once to try and impress the Irken leaders. She tried to empty out my planet's magma core and fill it with snacks."

"Harsh."

"Yeah… Well Zim and I worked together to stop her. That was during the time he was still trying to take over the earth himself but it was also one of the events that allowed us to become friends in the end."

"Must be nice."

"Huh?"

Kark laughed. "Having friends you can count on. Hang on try and move your arm a bit here. Ok got it." She kept working to untangle the restraints.

"You don't have friends?" Kark almost burst out laughing at the look of concern on his face.

"It's not that unusual on Vort. The planet is so large that if you don't live in the cities you hardly see anyone. Most homes are self-sufficient, so unless something breaks there's no reason to leave."

"I guess that makes sense." It was nearly two hours before Dib was completely free from the mass of wires. Once he was finally free he looked around the whole room. "Oh Man this is cool! I finally get to see how Irkens are made! I wonder what pressing these buttons would do to mess up their species."

"Dib! This isn't a field trip. We're trapped remember?"

"Right. Yeah I know. You said you searched this place and there's no way out right?"

"Yeah?"

"Then there's no harm in me looking around." Dib didn't really let Kark argue with that logic. This was his one big chance to learn about Irken physiology. Zim had never been the sharing type. Dib started off by checking out the computers. Nearly all of them were turned off. The only active one had the controls locked.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to see if there's a way to open this computer. Maybe we could hotwire it like a car and get into the controls."

"The most technologicly advanced alien species in existence and you think you can hotwire they're computers?"

"Well yeah Irkens use the same type of operating systems as we do on earth so I've done it before." Dib put his weight into it and the back of the panel flew off causing him to lose his balance and fall on his butt.

"Do they really?"

"Yeah. I found that out when I hacked a robot Me that Zim made while trying to defend myself from an evil monkey." Kark came over to watch what he was doing.

"I see…"

After messing with several computer chips and nearly setting his shirt on fire with some sparking wires, Dib managed to get a response from the computer: Access granted, flashed across the screen.

"Alright! Now let's see what this computer can do." Unfortunately the system he managed to unlock was a closed circuit designated for monitoring and controling the development of growing smeetlings. "Oh… Well that doesn't help us much."

"Hang on. Maybe it can." Kark moved in and started looking at the different controls. "If we increase the growth of one of the pods maybe it will activate some of the other computers. Only problem is… I can't read Irken…" She paused to look up at Dib. So maybe having an active Irken there wouldn't be the smartest idea but it could work. He also moved in to start looking at the controls.

"I can read it. Though there are some words here that I don't know. Zulprodet… Oh hey! That's cool."

"What?"

"When I said it just now, my translator worked on my own voice."

"Ok so what's it mean?"

"Doughnut. But it's not really relevant to what we're looking for."

"Could you use it to get us some food?"

"Yeah I guess so..? Here I'll try." Kark watched fascinated as Dib quickly typed in some things. A giant tube stretched down from the ceiling and pointed at Kark. The pipe started shaking then dumped a pile of doughnuts on top of her.

"Oh tako…" Kark swore as the doughnuty goodness buried her alive.

"Kark! You ok!?" There was no response. "Kark?"

Her voice came out from the middle of the massive pile. "…These taste really good."

Dib laughed and helped to unbury her. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. Thanks for the food!" she said and went to eating. Dib was surprised how much the tiny alien could eat. She had consumed a baker's dozen by the time he found the program they needed.

"Ok this says there are three pods that are nearly ready. From the looks of it, I would guess that Tak slowed down the growth process so that none of them would finish while we were in here. If I can speed up the process maybe some of the other machinery will activate itself. The newborn Irkens have to go somewhere. That might just be our ticket out of here."

Kark didn't look as certain as Dib. "You want to hatch an irken? And what if it isn't all that friendly?"

"You have any better ideas."

"I do but I thinking about the aftermath was the reason I didn't use that plan before you got here." Dib looked quizzically at the Vortian. She just shrugged. He didn't question it any further for fear of the answer. And with that Dib set to work trying to understand the controls. It had been 'all or nothing' back when they first cleared the atmosphere. There was no escape this late in the game.


	36. Up and Invisible

_Hey guys! I'm on spring break! I get to work on my story more! I'm releasing this second chapter today because I won't get to put one out tomarrow. Thanks to all the people who are following and favoriteing and leaving comments! I love you guys!_

_Sorry that the story isn't moving very fast. Bare with me though! _

* * *

**Chapter 37 - Up Up and Invisible**

"Can you see anyone?"

"Yeah there's one guard." A cord from Skoodge's PAK stretched out of the top of the tube poking out from the floor next to the wall. It was a camera that transmitted what it saw to Skoodge through his PAK.

"Where at?"

"Shhhh Quiet…. he's over by the far door. Facing away from us."

Zim stretched a cord out so he could see what Skoodge was seeing. The guard stood in a blue tunic with a rather intimidating weapon visible under his arm. Zim switched the freaquency of his camera. Infrared didn't show any laser grid. _That's good._ The camera turned to look over the room. It was a large room. _Isn't this the main lobby? _Zim wondered as he received continuous images from his PAK. Normally this building was full of Irkens running every which way. Some with orders to relay to officers, others headed to planning meetings.

But not today, the whole room held an eerie quiet as it sat empty. The entire building had been encircled by guards and even there was even a guard at the door. How much more security would be going up through the building? Zim retracted his cord and moved back a ways into the tube. Skoodge followed.

"In case you didn't think of this, there will almost definitely be guards up the stairs with the elevators turned off." Skoodge said as he watched Zim scratch his antennae.

"Right…" Zim said not really hearing what was said. He ran through the information his PAK had on center tower. He had personally never been there. He'd never been allowed in, even before Red and Purple had taken charge he had still been kept away. Turning to Skoodge, he asked, "Have you ever been in here before?"

"Once. After I had been alerted I was accepted to be an Invader. I came here to get my orders and pass onto the Massive for a ride to Conventia. It was so busy I can't believe how empty it is now."

"What are the upper floors like? My PAK is giving me a lot of Classified labels."

Skoodge didn't move as he went through the data from his PAK and his own memory. His eyes opened wide and his antennae perked up. "Huh… That's strange."

"What?"

"I'm getting the same blocks. It was never like that before. I still have what I remember from my trip here but that's limited. I took the elevator to the 73rd floor and headed down the hall to the conference room where I was to receive my orders. I have a backup of that floor but the rest of them are being blocked. Well they did know you were coming. Maybe they classified everything." Skoodge looked back over at Zim.

Zim moved back up the tube to take another look. He extended the camera from his PAK, but when he looked toward the door the guard was gone. "What the…"

"What?" Skoodge whispered as he came up.

"The guards gone."

"Really?" Skoodge extended his camera again. They both looked over to the door then around the room. It was clear. Zim moved first. He cautiously pushed the cover off of their hiding place. Using his PAK legs he quietly climbed out into the room. Skoodge followed him up right after. They replaced the cover then Zim pointed off to a nearby hallway.

They stuck to moving on foot to try and keep the noise down but they kept their PAK legs out just in case. They moved down a couple hallways not really sure where they were going. When their antennae picked up the sound of guards they would quickly move into an unlocked room. Zim turned to Skoodge during one of these times.

"Do you remember where the elevator is located at? Our best bet is to climb up the shaft without activating the elevator."

Skoodge agreed. Once the guard had passed they continued with Skoodge leading the way. Twice more they had to hide themselves from the guards. "The elevators are just up ahead. But these ones only go up to the 67th floor. After that we'll have to switch to find another way up. When I was here I took the stairs but we agreed that's out right?"

Zim nodded. "We'll figure it out once we get there."

They arrived in front of the elevators. Zim reached up to the full height of his PAK's legs and pulled out a laser to cut through the wall above the shaft.

"Wait." Skoodge whispered.

"What?"

"If we leave a hole in the wall they'll know which way we went."

Zim retracted his laser. "You have a better plan?"

Skoodge signaled for them to go hide in a nearby room. Once inside Skoodge explained the plan. Out of his PAK he pulled two Vortian Cloaking Reagent devices. "I just got these. They'll keep us from being seen."

"Hang on I used something like that in the past and it only made the machine it was attached to invisible. Will this work on us?"

Skoodge looked down at the VCR, looking slightly confused. "I have no idea. I haven't used them yet."

"Well how do they work?"

Skoodge lifted one up and stretched it back so that it connected with the top of his PAK. A light blinked on and Skoodge's PAK vanished from view. Skoodge lifted his hands and stared at them. They were still completely visible. "Well that's not supposed to happen."

"Here let me try." Zim took the second VCR and set it on top of his head.

"That's not how…" Skoodge ended his objection when Zim vanished from sight. His PAK was still completely visible.

"Did that work?" The invisible Irken asked his stunned friend.

Skoodge nodded. Zim returned to the range of visible light. "We're so tall it would be easier to get around by hiding our bodies rather than hiding our PAKs." Skoodge perked an antenna, and then moved his VCR to his own head. He had to activate it manually but he also managed to disappear from sight.

"Well that's interesting."

"Yeah. Well they work. What was the rest of your plan?"


	37. Secrets is a Weapon

_**A/N: **__Hey guys check out my __**Invader Zim music parodies. **__I promise they're worth it. If you have a song you want me to do leave a comment __**on one of the songs**__._

_Also Sorry to disapoint, but Kam is not in this chapter. She will be in the next one though. Since I know you've all be so eager to know how she's doing._

* * *

**Chapter 37 – Secret Weapon **

"Sir. They've entered the building…. Yes sir through the pipe in the back of the lobby just like you said….. Yes I left as soon as I heard them. Yes from the exits to everything above the 67th floor is sealed off; they won't be going anywhere." The Irken soldier wearing a blue tunic ended the transmission with his new female commanding officer. What was all this about? Why trap the traitors in the building? Wouldn't allowing them into the building like this be a threat to the control brains? Besides that… Why was a taller even being prevented from contact with the Control brains? Under Irken law, Tallers were free to come and go from the tower whenever they wanted in order to have their height assessed.

_This isn't right. _He thought to himself as he switched his frequency to alert the upper floors. Even as he was giving his report he wondered how many others felt the same way he did. He decided to make a few calls.

* * *

"Thirty seconds." Dib said as he watched the countdown on the screen. Kark stood ready with a makeshift laser gun, made from a computer she disassembled, pointed below the smeet pod that was nearly complete. Neither of them felt good about taking out a newborn but for now they didn't have much other choice.

The face on the smeet pod turned the same shade of blue as GIR's eyes and smiled. Machines whirred to life. The pod ejected halfway and a robotic arm came to pull it the rest of the way out. Kark and Dib covered their faces when the arms cracked the pod in half and greenish blue liquid went spilling everywhere.

A tiny irken plopped to the floor with a splat. Another robotic arm quickly came down and drilled two holes in the smeet's back attached it's PAK then another came down and delivered an electric shock.

'Welcome to life Irken –BANG–

Kark shot the monitor that came down infront of the new irken. The smeet stared at the dead computer looking very confused. Then it turned to the thing that blew up the computer and stared at Kark.

"What'd you do that for?"

Kark and Dib were caught completely off guard by that question. Their plan to incapacitate the smeet flew out the window as they stared at it while it looked around. It was so cute… not dangerous looking at all. It didn't even reach the height of Dib's knees.

The smeet got up and walked over to the computer on the ground and poked at it. Once he confirmed it was dead he turned around and looked at Kark.

"Who are you anyway?" it asked. Luckily for the two of them they were still in their disguises, though Kark's one hoof was missing a glove still. She hid it behind her back and turned to look at Dib. He looked equally unsure what to do.

"We're…umm…" Kark stuttered.

"We're here to welcome you to life!" Dib blurted out.

The smeet looked at him confused. "Doesn't the computer do that?"

Dib looked around the room like he was searching for an answer. "Yes well this time is different."

"Why?"

"Uhhh…"

"Because you've been selected for a special mission!" Kark jumped in. "From the tallests."

The smeet stood straight and saluted them. He knew from his PAK that no newly made smeetling had ever been selected for a special mission. Anything he could do to impress His Tallests would be the greatest honor. "I am ready! What is this mission?"

Dib and Kark glanced at each other. Kark was the first to get an idea. She stood straight like a true commanding officer. "Your first task will be a test of your pre-obtained knowledge of Irken technology. You are assigned to get us out of here without using the computer we just destroyed."

"Yes Ma'am!" The smeet saluted Kark then looked around the room, then he ran off as fast as his little legs would carry him. Kark and Dib looked back from the smeet to each other and back to the smeet. Kark put down her laser to follow the smeet. Dib was right behind her.

The smeet walked up to a computer but when he found it was turned off he walked away to look for another one. After he had checked and discovered that every computer was turned off exept the one for hatching smeets, which attached to the one that was destroyed, he turned and looked nervously back at Kark and Dib. He turned his back on them and walked to the nearest wall.

Dib and Kark watched as the smeet walked along the walls. It didn't seem to find what it was looking for and it went up the stairs and circled the room again. For a moment Kark and Dib thought that it had given up when it stopped and stood still with a blank expression. The it looked up to the ceiling over the center of the room. They exchanged a glance when it looked down at them then back up.

"Umm… I know how to get us out but I … "

Kark held up a hand silencing the smeet. "Your test is to do this alone. We're just here to observe," she said coldly. Dib was truly impressed with her acting. She was really intimidating when she wanted to be.

The smeet stared blankly up at the ceiling. After a bit it closed its eyes and clenched it's tiny hands into fists.

"It looks constipated…" Dib mumbled, earning a chuckle from Kark.

One by one, the mechanical legs emerged from the smeet's PAK. Slowly he tested their strength as if unsure how they would work. The smeet suspended his body from the legs. He moved to the left and right to get a feel for controlling these strange limbs. Dib was surprised. Zim had always used his PAK as if it was second nature. But here he was seeing that it actually took practice for Irkens to control their PAKs. _Fascinating._

The smeet slowly moved himself over to a trail of cords that ran up the wall. He hooked the little metal claws around them and carefully made his way up the wall. Kark and Dib watched feeling nervous for the smeet. Dib nearly ran to help when the smeet lost his grip and fell. Kark stopped him seeing the smeet landed on his PAK legs sustaining no damage to his body. He moved back to the cords and tried again.

He made it all the way up and started working his way across some pipes that ran across the ceiling. When he reached the middle of the ceiling he seemed 'constipated' again, until a cord came out of his PAK and stretched out to plug into a small circle in the ceiling.

Kark and Dib turned to the wall behind them as they heard the door hiss open.

"Yes!" The smeet said as he unplugged from the ceiling and made his way back down. He walked up to Kark and saluted.

"Well done." Kark said smiling at the smeet. Dib was already halfway to the door.

"Let's go. We need to hurry." The smeet started to follow him.

"Wait." Kark called after them. Going up to the smeet she took on her commanding air again. "Your next mission is to get into Center Tower without being seen by any guards that are around. You will lead us. We will not help nor use our PAKs. Are you ready?" Dib was nervous about bringing the smeet with but Kark's plan had worked so far, why should he stop trusting her now?

The smeet stood as tall as it could with its antennae straight up. "I am ready," it announced and turned to lead the way.

"Oh hey," Dib started, "What's your name?"

The smeet stood still thinking for a moment. "Zak." And with that he turned around and walked out with Kark and Dib right behind him. Kark had to keep herself from smiling. They were about to use a baby Irken to defeat the Tallest.


	38. EZ Phone Home?

**Chapter 38 – Phone Home?**

The pain stopped, but Kam knew the respite wouldn't last long. She lifted herself up from her spot on the floor and turned back to the control panel. Even though she'd been ordered by Lard Nar to go elsewhere she had remained in the bridge to help with the evasion of the fleet.

"Are you alright?" Spleenk, the spider like alien that had visited her and Dib when they were imprisoned, came over to check on her. "Captain is worried about you. None of us really knows about your species."

"I'm fine." Kam kept her eyes on the monitors pulling up surveillance scans of the nearby asteroid field. The Resisty Ship was currently hiding itself on an asteroid. Engines were shut off and Life support was set to the minimum requirements needed. Kam had gone in and boosted the power of the ship's Vort Cloaking Reagent system (being careful to not fry the system), along with altering its frequency so that it hid the ship as well as those in it. The problem was… cloaking the ship was using up its power. Their only hope was that the fleet would give up the search in the next few hours.

Kam lowered herself back to the floor, exhausted. Spleenk and Shloonktapooxis, the flying ice cream cone, came over by her. The worry was written on their faces.

"I'm fine guys. Really." Kam smiled trying to reassure them. The contractions had been going on and off for the past few hours. It was hard to know how long it had been since Zim and Dib had left the ship. Kam bit her lip, thinking about them. _If only there was some way I could help them… _Who was she kidding… Kam couldn't even help herself at the moment.

Fleet ships were combing the area looking for them. The power wasn't going to last long. Was there nothing that could be done? Being able to see through the ship wasn't a bad thing but it made it hard to see the computer screens. They weren't completely invisible just transparent. Kam stared out at the space around them.

"This is a fine mess your husband has gotten us into." Ixane came over by them, arms crossed looking less than pleased.

Kam glared up at her. "At least we're getting things done…"

"Oh yes. We've left an easily spotted irken, human, and vortian in the center of the enemy's main city, and now we're sitting here running out of power. We're the only true ship of the Resisty, our Meekrob allies are days away, days we don't have. Not to mention," Spleenk elbowed Ixane, shutting her up. Kam was crying into her knees.

Ixane looked away. "Sorry…" she muttered. She walked off to go talk to others in the crew.

"Don't cry." Shloonktopoxis floated over to Kam. His face had lost its usual stupid grin. Even he looked worried with the situation.

"If only there were someone we could call for help…" Spleenk said looking up at a nearby asteroid.

Kam sat up. "Maybe there is…"

"Huh?" The two aliens responded in unison.

"If we could send out a signal disguised as one from a different species…. But we'd have to move to a different location so that the main ship wouldn't be discovered." Kam got up and turned to the transparent computer panels.

Shloonkapoxis looked at her. "I don't get it."

"I do." Lard Nar walked over. "It's a good plan in theory, human. But if we move the ship at all then we'll be discovered."

"Then we can use an escape pod to send the signal. Only the smaller ship would be located and that might be able to get away."

Lard Nar raised an eyebrow. He moved over to the computer to see what Kam was doing. "That's Plookesion isn't it? Wouldn't Meekrobian be better for signaling any allies?"

Kam shook her head. "The Irkens know that Meekrob is involved in the resistance. If we send out a Plookeesian one they may not attack any ship that comes through. Plookesia is still at a point where they could hold their own against the empire. Irk won't risk attacking them yet."

The Resisty leader squinted at the human. "And where did you learn all of our politics from? I thought your Irken-mate wasn't keeping track of the empire."

Kam smiled as she continued working on the distress signal. "He didn't but I did, though I did it by communicating with a friend of his. A bit round-about but I didn't want to be left in the dark."

Lard Nar was impressed by the resorcefullness of the human. "Alright. You've got the signal. Now what?"

"Yeah now's the hard part…." Kam paused and looked up her new friends. "Someone has to pilot the ship to send the signal."


	39. Set into Motion

**_A/N:_**_ Hey guys! I've been busy writing a bunch of other stories and getting ready to go back to school. I love reading your guys' comments on the chapters. It makes me so happy to know you guys like it. Check out my other one shots. Including the newly made __**iPod Shuffle of Sadness**__! It's a beautiful example of why my playlist is weird for my personality! _

_Thanks to those that have favorited/followed me as an author!_

* * *

**Chapter 39 - Set Into Motion**

"Sir this way." Zak called out to Dib who had gone off down a hallway to look through an open door. "If I may sir… you're making this test very difficult by wandering off so much." The smeet glanced nervously up at his taller.

"Just keep going and keep your eye on him." Kark told the smeet. She wanted to smack Dib up-side the head but it would look very suspicious if a shorter Irken acted in such a disrespectful way to their taller. Instead she waited for Zak to be scouting ahead then kicked Dib in the shin.

"Oww… What was that for?"

"Do you want to get captured again?"

Dib rubbed his shin and looked grudgingly at Kark who was just over eye level with him while he was kneeling. "No.. but how do we even know we're going the right way?"

They were in some sort of underground passageways. Zak had been leading them around for an hour, skirting around guards and traps his PAK located. They stopped talking as the smeet ran back down the hall. He slipped on the smooth floor, he was still unsteady on his PAK Legs but with his normal legs he had trouble keeping up with the two adult Irkens. But he was determined. There was no way he would let himself fall behind.

"We're almost underneath Center tower. The easiest way to get up into it would be through an emergency exit tube just up ahead."

"Any security?" Kark asked firmly.

"No sir." He saluted her as she turned to glance back at Dib.

"And it's large enough for a taller?"

Zak looked at her a bit confused. "Well yes. Why wouldn't it be? My PAK says that most of those that work in Center Tower are Tallers."

"She just wanted to see if you had checked." Dib blurted out. Making things up as he went he said, "You can't always plan for the rest of the team you're leading to know things. And there's always the chance your PAK is lacking information. Better safe than sorry right?" He gave the smeet an encouraging smile as he said this. Zak however dropped his antennae and looked depressed. Seeing this Dib shifted so he was sitting rather than kneeling. "Something wrong?" He asked.

Zak looked up as if he hadn't realized he'd just shown emotion. "No sir. I'm just confused why a smeet would be chosen by the Tallest before even having basic training."

Dib chuckled at the question. "Let's just say there are going to be some changes on the home planet and you're going to lead one of the first." Zak perked an antenna but didn't question this further.

"If you two are done chatting we need to get going. There's no telling when the next round of guards will pass by." The boys nodded and then headed off with Zak leading the way.

* * *

"Sir are you alright in there?"

Purple sat on the uncomfortable bed, arms folded; his face showed an obvious pout. "No! I'm hungry and it smells like dookie in here! I want out!" The guard's antennae drooped wishing he could help the Tallest; alas he had his orders.

"I'll see if I can arrange for some food to be brought." He started to walk away but Purple called out stopping him.

"Is this my fault? I probably should have tried harder… does he really hate me?"

The short amber-eyed Irken let his antennae droop as he looked on the depressed leader. Things had gotten out of control… Tallest Red hadn't been like this before the fight and everyone knew it. The two of them had been inseparable. These recent changes were putting the empire at risk. Higher smeet restrictions… tallers used as invaders… the lock down of access to the control brains…

The guard looked up in surprised. His brain was receiving a signal from his PAK that there was an incoming call. He glanced back at the door before moving a little ways down the hall.

"Yes?" He said answering the call. "Hey what's up? ... I'm on the Massive… no… yes I am… it's complicated. … No I don't know how long. Why?" His eyes popped open and antennae stood straight up. "Who is? … You're sure?" He bit down on his lip as he listened. After a moment he glanced toward the cell where his former leader was being held and sighed, "Ok. I'm in. What do you need me to do?"


	40. Out of the Blue

_**Character Sketches**__ now availible on my deviantart account! See what all OCs from this story look like! Bonus Picture: You get to see Zim in his female uniform! Link to Deviantart on my profile._

* * *

**Chapter 40 –Out of the Blue**

"Sir! Scanners are detecting a distress call from a Plookesian shuttle within the asteroid field."

"What!" The Irken commander spun around to look at the screen. There was indeed a Plookesian signal emanating from the asteroid field. "Recall all vessels now. The order to not get involved with Plookesia is still under effect." He turned to the communications technician. "Have one ship go and scout the area where that signal is coming from; just in case our resisty friends are trying to trick us."

* * *

Zim felt glad that Irken's didn't sweat like humans. He had managed to capture Dib several times because a drop of salt water fell from the earth-stink's nose while he hung from the ceiling in Zim's base trying to spy on the Irken. If he were to sweat from nervousness like a human he would probably get caught from his place above the doors of the elevator. Even if their bodies were invisible their PAK's would be noticed.

**_'How much longer do you think it will be until someone comes?'_** Skoodge asked by means of transmissions between their PAKs. They had been hanging from the ceiling by their PAKs for almost an hour but the only guards that had passed by hadn't used the elevator.

**_'Not sure.'_**Zim maneuvered himself quietly down the hall a little ways. No one was in sight. He looked back and saw Skoodge had done the same thing for the other direction.

_'**No one here'**_ Skoodge signaled. Zim lowered himself to try and pry the door open when Skoodge singled for him to wait. Skoodge's antennae picked up the sound of footsteps down the hall. It was a minute before the owner of those feet reached the elevator.

The Irken soldier, wearing a blue tunic, drew a cord from his PAK and opened the elevator. He started to walk in but paused in the doorway. Skoodge and Zim used that moment to silently slip into the elevator. The soldier continued into the elevator and pressed a few buttons. The elevator started moving up.

**_'Now?'_**

**_'wait.'_ **Zim held himself over the guard waiting until they were halfway up the building. **_'Now!'_**

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Skoodge and Zim froze.

"Not sure how you guys hid your bodies but you aren't exactly the quietest." The soldier turned. His blue eyes staring straight up at the two bodiless PAKs. Zim sighed and lowered himself to the ground, disabling the cloaking device while he did so. The soldier's sky blue eyes looked him up and down. "My, you certainly are tall. I can see why Tallest Red is so worried."

"Do you plan to arrest us?" Zim asked folding his arms as if saying 'I'd like to see you try'. Skoodge lowered himself down next to Zim and also disabled his VCR.

The soldier looked between the two of them and shrugged. "You've got me out numbered I've got you out gunned. All that plan would do is get us all killed." He reached behind him to the buttons and flipped the off switch. The lights shut off and the elevator stopped dead in its tracks. Zim and Scoodge looked around fearfully. "It's alright calm down. I hit the power switch no one can see or hear us now."

"And what is it you plan to do here?" Zim demanded, while trying to look threatening.

"Easy." The guard held his hand up in a 'calm down' gesture. "I'm not here to fight you two. I'm here to find out what Tallest Red is trying to prevent you from doing." Zim and Skoodge looked at each other in surprise.

"Why should we tell you that?" Skoodge was curious about the Irken's motives.

The soldier leaned back against the door. "Well one this thing won't move until my PAK tells it to. But mostly because maybe I can help you." He stood forward and reached out his hand. "Maybe we got off on the wrong squeedlyspooch. Call me Blert. I suppose you could say that I'm a representative of sorts."

"Representative of who?" Zim glared at Blert. He would listen only as long as he had to.

Blert's antennae perked up a bit. "Of the Irkens that might be interested in your success in this infiltration." That caught Zim off guard. "Now do I have your attention?" Blert asked, noting that Zim's antennae stood straight up in surprise. Zim nodded and flattened his antennae again.

Blert nodded. "There's a small group of Irkens that have begun to question the way that the current Tallests have been ruling," he explained. "Tallest Myuki would never have let that betrayal of Vort occur, and with some of the other recent changes caused by the Tallests fighting, many of us think it's time for a change. So I guess my first question is: What exactly are you planning by coming here?"

Zim stared at the floor for a moment before answering. "I'm hoping to overthrow the Tallests so that I can protect a planet that is important to me." He looked Blert in the eye; his determination unwavering in his own.

Blert nodded accepting this answer. "This hasn't been easy so far and it's only going to get harder. There's been some changes that you probably haven't heard about since it all occurred while you were in the city." He settled back against the door again. "Some low level Staff Sergeant was promoted up to Commander in one swoop by Tallest Red himself. She's been making a lot of changes and leading His Tallest around like a scared puppy."

Zim and Skoodge exchanged a glance.

"There's one more thing. Tallest Purple has been imprisoned for treason. Rumor has it that he's the one that sent you guys on this mission. Last week a failed Invader was executed for the same thing. You wouldn't know anything about this would you?"

* * *

_This chapter was edited in a small way to help readers make a better connection between the character Blert and his previous appereances in the story. _

_Blert first appeared in chapter 30 as one of the guards Kark passed by. He was the one that mentioned talking to a buddy of his that met a Taller (Dib) going to receive Invader Orders. He was also the guard in the lobby when Zim and Skoodge first entered the building. _

_In a few chapters his buddy will be re-introduced. _


	41. Events Collide

_**A/N:**__ A lot of things are going to happen in this chapter. Things are comming together as the final trip to the Control Brains continues._

_Don't forget Character Sketches are availible on Deviant Art through my Profile! Also Take a poll on my Profile related to my Invader Zim song parodies!_

* * *

**Chapter 41 – Events Colide like Comets and Gas Planets**

Zim's antennae dropped, "Oops.." he said. Skoodge and Blert staired at him.

"Zim, what did you do?" Skoodge looked nervously at his friend. Zim always caused problems but never something to start a civil war.

Zim looked up at the ceiling to avoid eye contact. "I may have told an invader that Purple thought Red was planning to oust him, in order to get the invader to leave a planet." Skoodge stared in disbelief.

Blert sighed. "I kind of wondered if it wasn't something like that. But that means we have an additional problem." Zim looked at Blert; Scoodge continued to stare at Zim in shock that he did something so stupid. "Tallest Purple wasn't imprisoned for being suspicious of Tallest Red. He was imprisoned because He was the one gathering an army. At least that's the reason we were given."

This confused Zim. "Why would they think that Purple was gathering an army?"

"Something about a video log from that failed-invader. Like I said, Tallest Red isn't trusting us with the details."

Zim stood thinking for a bit before Skoodge asked, "Just curious, but won't it be suspicious if this elevator sits here for too long?"

Blert shook his head. "The floors are sealed so they aren't really thinking about where in the building you are. Until you're seen somewhere the plan is to wait for an ambush at the 67th floor."

"But if the floors are sealed…" Skoodge started.

"It means that we can't get through until the Tallest himself unseals them." Zim's brow furrowed as he tried to think of a way out of this new problem. The Control Brains were the most important beings of the Irken Empire. They contained all information of past generations of Irkens. In order to protect them from an assassination threat, Tallest Spork developed a system that would lock down and make Center Tower impenetrable, and only the current Tallest could deactivate it.

"About that," Blert looked up at the tallers, "We actually have a plan to help you with that. But you still have to get yourselves to a rather secure area for it to work."

Skoodge sent a message to Zim's PAK, **_'This could be a trap.'_**

**_'We have no other plan though.'_** Zim responded. Out loud he said, "Ok let's hear this plan of yours."

* * *

"Commander Tak, sir. We have captured a vessel in the asteroid field where the Resisty Ship was last seen. They were attempting to send a Plookesian distress call; a scout was sent to confirm Plookesian identity but…"

"Get to the point." Tak interrupted . The soldier shrunk under the glare of his new superior officer.

"Ah.. yes… Four individuals were on board, one of whom is the Resisty Leader, Lard Nar."

"Excellent. And what of the other three?"

"Two are species from conquered planets but the third is one that doesn't exist on any of our records. This third one has collapsed in pain several times. We took it to the medical officer on the main ship and he said it's a female going through labor."

"Do you have an image of her?"

"Yes sir. Transmitting now."

Tak received the image straight through her PAK and laughed out loud seeing the weak human. Now everything was making sense. This had to be the reason that Zim would attempt to return to Irk. It was why he had hacked the smeet factory. He had impregnated a human. He needed a PAK for the new smeet. _That fool._ An involuntary shiver passed down the soldier's spine when his Commander turned back to him with an evil smirk on her face.

"I don't care what you do with the other two, but I want the Resisty Leader and the human brought to me."

* * *

"Damn it, now what!" Dib asked as they ducked behind a corner. They had made it into Center tower but had been spotted almost immediately. Several guards were standing down the hall shooting at them. Kark briefly poked around the corner to return fire with a gun she had 'borrow' from a soldier who was now sleeping on the floor a few hallways back.

"Think of something quickly. I think they're calling for backup!" She yelled.

Dib turned to look for Zak, who was frozen in place back against the wall. His face looked normal but his antennae were quivering and his little body wouldn't stop shaking. Dib ran over to the smeet and picked him up, holding him at eye level. "Calm down and think carefully," He instructed. "We need to find a way out of here."

Zak looked up into his Taller's blue eyes. His thoughts were pulled off the laser fire when he noticed a strange color in those eyes. He shook it off as Dib knelt down and put him back on the ground. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the information his PAK was sending him. He pulled the schematics of the building to his mind; sorting through it till he found their location. A few doors down was a room that granted access to the ventilation system.

"There!" Zak pointed back and started running off to the room.

"Kark Come on!" Dib yelled turning off to the room. Kark ducked around the corner and let off a few more shots before turning to run after Dib and Zak.

* * *

Blert held up a hand silencing the two rogue Irkens. He listened as he received a report through his PAK. His eyes opened wide and antennae stood up. "There's more in the building? I thought the report said there were only two tallers." He turned to look at Zim and Skoodge.

Zim's eyes opened wide with excitement. "Kark and Dib! They finally made it!"

Blert quickly hit the button to turn the elevator back on. "You better hope they can handle themselves." He said with a serious look on his face. "There was a small exchange of laser fire and they disappeared into the ventilation system." Zim looked both relieved and worried for his friends.

"They made it this far. I trust them to make it the rest of the way."

Blert looked at him and nodded. "I hope your right, and for their sake I hope you succeed. The report said they have a smeet with them." Both Zim's and Skoodge's antennae dropped after hearing this. To bring harm to a smeet was the worst crime; the punishment for such an act was the elimination of all living members of the individuals genetic line.

The elevator doors opened on the 66th floor. Skoodge and Zim activated their VCRs and carried themselves along the ceiling, as Blert walked swiftly in the direction of the Tallest's personal living quarters.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ Just what is the point of going to the Tallest's living quarters? What is Tak's plan for Kam? Will Kark and Dib be able to keep Zak safe to avoid Irken Law crashing down on them?  
FIND OUT WHENEVER I GET TIME TO WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER!_


	42. Closer and Closer and Closer

_Hey guys! Just wanted to point out that the reason why there are views from multiple groups in the last and this chapter is because everyone is caught up in time, and all this stuff is happening at once. _

_Also NEW STORY posted for my Invader Zim universe! Building a Resistance follows the stories of Lard Nar, Kark, and the Resisty. Check it out!_

_Colored Character Drawings now availible on Deviantart! Go to my profile for link._

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**Chapter 42 – Closer Closer Closer**

"My Tallest," The amber-eyed Irken came to look through the cell door. "It's time. Are you ready?" Tallest Purple stared at the ground. His eyes shimmered with tears he was holding back. He balanced himself with his hover disk and moved to the door. It slid open a second later. The Irken soldier had the key. "We have five minutes to get to the transporters."

"Right…" Purple nodded and followed him down the hall. The two of them stepped, or floated respectively, over other soldiers who were sleeping on the floor; their bags of snacks lying on the floors next to them. Sedatives don't last long in an Irken body but they could still be useful.

Purple paused and looked down at one of the soldiers. He was one of the few that had been there when the fight had started. He had often sat with Purple to comfort his leader in the following months. Purple closed his eyes tight and moved on whispering an apology to the sleeping Irken. His squeedlyspooch ached as he thought of what he was headed to do. _It's the only way to save my friend, _he reminded himself.

"Sir, please hurry. The soldiers will be waking up before too long."

Purple swallowed his fears, put on the most determined face he could muster, and quickly floated after his guide.

* * *

Not a single guard was seen as Zim, Skoodge, and Blert made their way through the 66th floor. They were nearly on the other side of the building when Blert motioned for them to stop.

"The Tallest's personal teleporters are through this door. I have to go to check on the situation down stairs. A friend of mine will meet you inside shortly." Zim momentarily turned visible and reached out his hand to the Soldier.

"Thank you." Zim said as they clasped forearms.

"Make sure you succeed." Blert said, then he turned and headed back to the elevators. Zim reactivated his VCR; he and Skoodge slipped silently into the room.

* * *

Dib struggled through the tiny vents. They had been going almost straight up for such a long time that his arms were beginning to hurt. "How much further?" He finally asked. He'd been trying not to because he wanted to be a good representative of his species.

"We're up to the 32nd floor now." Zak said from above. Dib moaned and Kark thought about kicking him into silence but knew the human would probably fall. Her own arms were starting to tire.

"Zak, where's an exit. We need to get out for a bit or our arms will break."

"Why don't you just use your PAKs?"

"I already told you we aren't allowed to, didn't I?" Kark snapped. Zak shrunk back. It didn't make sense that they wouldn't use their PAKs if they wanted to hurry. _It must be really important for me to learn to work with defectives if these Tallers are putting so much effort into it._ Zak wondered what kind of mission he was in training for as he searched the schematics for the nearest exit of the vent. The next one was about 50 feet up.

"Not much farther." Carefully he moved up ahead of them to scout the exit. There was no sign of any guards. "All clear." He removed the cover, climbed out and waited for Kark and Dib.

When they were finally all out they took refuge in a room a little ways down the hall. The room was filled with all sorts of machinery and giant experiment tubes. Kark cringed away from some that still had misshapen forms of life inside them, thinking about the last time she was in an Irken lab. She walked over to Dib who was messing with some computers on the other side of the room.

"Find anything?" she asked.

Dib nodded. "The computers seem to be connected on one main server for the entire building. Right now I'm trying to access a schematic to find out where we are." The computer started moving faster than Dib was typing; he stopped and looked around. Zak had plugged himself into the computer. After two seconds a blueprint for Center Tower came up on the screen.

"That's what you were looking for?" Dib smiled at the smeet and turned to the screen. Zak had pin-pointed their position. Dib's fingers moved quickly as he searched for the safest path to the top floors.

"Uh oh…"

"What?" Kark looked up at the screen. Large red irken writing flashed on the screen.

"This says the top floors are on lockdown. Not sure what it means but it can't be good for us."

"Lockdown of the top floors of Center Tower are security protocol 91003493B for protection of the Control Brains." Kark and Dib turned to look at Zak as he said this.

Kark smiled awkwardly trying to seem like she had already known that. "Good work. You're able to access your PAKs data much faster than before." Zak smiled at the compliment, then grabbed the edge of the control panel so he could get on tip toes and poke his head up to see what Dib was doing.

"Alright," Dib said after a few minutes. "I found the places where guards are stationed throughout the building, as well as the safest route past them. We need to go back into the vent up two floors and…"

"HEY! What are you doing here!" A shout came from behind them.

The group turned to see an Irken soldier in a blue tunic pointing his gun right at them. Zak reacted before any of them saw what had happened. He leapt forward with help of his PAK legs and slammed into the soldier knocking him backwards. The soldier's head hit the wall hard and he sagged to the floor. Zak strutted back over to Dib and Kark who stared at him stunned.

Dib let out a laugh and high-three'd the smeet. "Nice job! That was awesome." Zak smiled proudly.

_Kark cut off the celebration, "Memorize that map and let's get moving, before someone notices a guard has gone missing." Dib committed the route to memory and Zak recorded it onto his PAK and they slipped out of the room._


	43. Tallests Tower

_Lots of chapters came out in one day! Mostly that has to do with not being able to sleep cause of nightmares of failing my classes. Yeah thats the extent of my bad dreams. Pretty pathetic right?_

* * *

**Chapter 43 – Tallests Tower**

Zim and Skoodge had been sitting in the room for not even five minutes when one of the transporters whirred to life. Purple was the first to step out into the room.

"I thought you said someone would be here." He said, turning to the Irken that stepped out a moment later.

"I was notified they had already arrived." He scanned the room with his amber eyes.

"We're here." Zim deactivated the VCR. Skoodge did the same a moment later.

Purple stared at Zim. "Hey. You're the Taller from that video." He turned to his companion, "He's the one from the video." He turned back to Zim. "Who are you anyway?"

Zim smirked. "My Tallest it is good to see you after so long. It's been 9 years on the planet you banished me to, and yet you haven't changed at all." He saluted his former leader like he had all those years before, with that same confident yet slightly stupid smile.

Purple stared at him confused. His confusion quickly turned to shock as his eyes grew wide. "Zim…?" Zim nodded. "But how… You're so … not short no more."

"Yes, Yes. I have changed much since you last saw me."

"I have to." Skoodge waved stupidly at purple from behind Zim.

"Who are you?" Purple asked with a disinterested look.

Skoodge also saluted, "Invader Skoodge Conqurer of Blorch reporting." Purple just stared at him.

"Who?"

Skoodge blinked a couple times, got an annoyed look on his face and let his antennae droop. "…never mind," He murmured and shrunk back behind Zim, pouting.

They all stared at Skoodge for a moment then Purple turned back to Zim and said, "Why are you back here if you were banished?"

"I.."

"I hate to interrupt…" The amber-eyed Irken stepped forward. To Zim he said, "I'm Irken Technician Varshelz. It's a pleasure to meet you Irken Zim. I sincerely hope you're not nearly all that your reputation says; after all, we have high hopes for you."

Purple blinked, "Wait… You mean the one I'm supposed to help become the new tallest… IS ZIM!? Are you Crazy!?" he turned around and folded his arms in refusal.

"My Tallest I hope that we can put the past behind us and start anew." Zim looked at the floor and continued. "Much has happened since I left the empire. I am not the same Defect that I once was. There is more at stake than just the title of Tallest. You must see that."

Purple lowered his arms and turned sadly back to Zim. "Red will probably hate me forever for doing this…"

Varshelz put his hand on the Tallest's arm, "But he can't continue like he has." Purple nodded.

"Ok fine. I'll help. What do we do?"

"They what?" Varshelz blurted out. Everyone turned to stare at him. He dropped his antennae and smiled awkwardly, "Sorry." Looking up at Zim he said, "I just received a message from Blert, he says he found your friend but they attacked him, causing him to loose consciousness before he could explain things to them."

Zim cocked an antenna. "Yeah that sounds like the Dib-thing. Does he know where they headed off to?" Varshelz stood still for a moment before nodding.

"Yes and it's not good. They left a map up on a computer but the route they're taking was based off of false information given to the computer systems. If they go where they're planning they'll hit a squad of five Special Task Force members. Blert is going to try and intercept them. We need to hurry."

The group nodded and headed out the door.

* * *

A very scaired-looking Irken soldier walked into the main room to find Tallest Red sipping at a juice box. "…umm… sir?" he said nervously. Red turned around to look at him.

"Well..?" Red said when the soldier drone didn't speak. "What is it?"

The soldier shrunk back from his leader's gaze, "..well… there was a bit of an incident up on Deck 5… and…umm…"

The Irken leader glared down at the soldier, "Stop stuttering. Report."

The soldier stood as tall as he could but his voice still wavered as he explained that Tallest Purple had escaped.

"GET OUT!" Red shouted at the already terrified messenger who immediately ran from the room. Red threw his crumpled juice box at the door in a rage. _How could this happen!_ If Purple had truly been innocent like he had said then he wouldn't have run. Red's worst fears were realized. Purple really had betrayed him.

The Irken leader ran his hands over his antennae. The small part of him that had still held hope for Purple's innocence died. A cold look entered his eyes. He no longer cared what happened, but he would never let Purple reach the Control Brains.

He called out for the nearest technician. "Ready the transporters." I'm going down to Center Tower."

* * *

_It was the thin polystyrene tube that fractured the Irken's vertibral colom. Red truly believes he has been betrayed. He thinks he has no option left but to destroy his best friend. His heart is hardened. What's he planning heading down to the scene of the chaos?_

**_Varshelz:_**_ His first appearance was in chapter 27. He was the amber-eyed elder Irken that talked to Dib as the group made their way to the city. He was the friend mentioned by Blert in chapter 30; the buddy that met a Taller going to recieve Invader orders. Blert was not distinguished in that chapter so it's not a surprise if you missed it._


	44. Fight Before the Storm

_**A/N:**__ Hey guys I know you're all so used to be getting chapters out every day but I had a bit of writer's block. Anyway here's the chapter you've all been waiting for! (or atleast I hope you have, 'cause Purple is pretty Baddas and I worked hard on it). Some pretty intense stuff happens. _

_I'd love to see comments on it. Please and Thank you (Por Favor y Gracias)._

* * *

**Chapter 44 –The Fight Before the Storm**

"This way." Varshlez said leading them down one hallway after another. "The control room for the lockdown is just up ahead."

"Can't we rest for a bit…?" Purple whined. "I'm tired."

"You float with a hover disk," Skoodge interjected, "how can you be tired?"

"Shows what you know smarty-pants. It takes a lot of energy to use these things."

"Then why use them?"

"Because they're neat."

"Silence!" Zim yelled back at the two.

"You know," Tallest Purple whispered as he floated along beside Skoodge, "At first he seemed different but Zim is still annoying."

"Tell me about it…" Skoodge muttered.

"Did you two have something to say?" Zim turned just enough to give them the stink-eye. The two shook their heads then snickered as he turned his back.

"So why are you and Zim here anyway? Zim was banished and last we heard of you was on Hobo 13." Purple said as he floated alongside Skoodge.

"I thought you forgot who I was?"

"No, I just don't like you."

"Ah." Skoodge just accepted this answer; he didn't really like the Tallest either. "Not sure why Zim originally came, but I was just here for repairs and technological upgrades."

"Couldn't you get those where you were? I mean we've conquered more than half the universe by now."

"My Tallest," Zim said from up front, "Skoodge and I were on a planet that is neither controlled by the Empire, nor do we want it to be."

"If you mean that planet you were banished to," Purple said in a disinterested voice, "the armada was never planning to go there. After you finally stopped calling, Red put a big 'Stay Away' label on that planet. He didn't want anyone to come by and risk you changing your mind."

Zim's antennae drooped a little bit hearing this. He had been such a burden to his empire they wouldn't even let others near him. He had caused so many problems, killed hundreds of Irkens, including two Almighty Tallests, and now he was headed to become the ruler of his species? Could he even do it?

"Through here." Varshlez stopped and opened a door with his PAK. They all stood to the side as it opened, just in case there were guards. They got lucky; no one was in the room. Varshlez hurried over to one of the computers. "My Tallest I will need your ID PAK confirmation code shortly." A serious look crossed Purple's face as he nodded. Zim and Skoodge stood back guarding the door.

"It's strange. In a few minutes I'll have to call you Tallest Zim." Skoodge said. He sounded like he was teasing a friend but his face showed he was worried about what would happen during those few minutes. Zim didn't respond; instead he just watched Varshlez work. Skoodge was left to wonder what was going on inside his friends head.

"That should do it. My Tallest, if you would." Purple floated up and extended a cord from his PAK, plugging it into the computer. Varshlez turned to Zim and Skoodge. "After we deactivate this have your weapons out and ready. They will probably shoot first, and not ask questions." They nodded. Purple brought his attention back to the computer and put in his ID code.

A loud blaring siren went off.

Zim let out an Irken swear. "We need to leave!" he yelled to the others. Skoodge glanced out the doors for soldiers; he gave the all-clear and went out. Purple retracted his cord and followed. "Varshlez! We have to go!" Zim was half-way out the door as he looked back at the technician feverishly typing away at the computer.

"Go." He spoke loud but calmly. "I must remain here to make sure the lock-down is not reactivated."

Zim clenched his hand into a fist. There was no time for a debate. He turned and ran off after Skoodge and Purple.

Soldiers didn't make it to the room for a few more minutes. When they did they found a technician bound and gagged on the floor in front of the computers; a large sticky note pinned to his chest that read, 'Traitor.'

Zim stepped over the limp bodies of a few soldiers, feeling thoroughly impressed with the Tallest. Each group of soldiers they had encountered, five so far, had been dispatched in only a few seconds without any weapons being discharged. Purple had gotten off his hover-disk at the first group, using it only to give himself an extra burst of speed as he launched himself at the soldiers. His fighting skills were still phenomenal. Zim was very glad he was not the Tallest they were fighting.

Seven more groups of soldiers and three STF Irkens were trounced in much the same way before Purple signaled that they had arrived. They stood facing a gigantic door, the symbol of the Control Brains engraved across. Purple turned to the others.

"I'll go in first. Even if Red has told them to shoot me they will still have some hesitation and that will buy me time to take some of them out." The others reluctantly nodded. Purple slid the door open, and with his hover-disk, shot in like a laser.

No sounds of fighting emerged from the room. When Zim took a peek inside his eyes bulged and antennae stood straight up. Inside was not a throng of soldiers. Instead he saw Almighty Tallest Red along with 10 STF Irkens fully armed with armor and lasers galore.

"Well, well," Red spoke with a mocking tone as he faced his former friend. "Not only are you a traitor to me you're a traitor to your whole race." Purple glanced nervously around at the STF Irkens and their mass of weaponry pointed right at him. Red glared at him then glanced toward the door. "The rest of you might as well surrender. I've moved the Control Brains so you can't get to them. Purple here didn't know it but I altered the lockdown a bit when I first became Tallest." He smiled smugly. "In the case that someone did manage to get in, they would be transported to a faraway location."

Before Zim could stop him, Skoodge extended his PAK lasers and dived into the room. He opened fire on Tallest Red. An STF Irken was on him like GIR on a Taquito. Skoodge was pinned to the ground, and his PAK was ripped clean off his back.

"RED STOP! That's going too far!" Purple yelled but he was held back by the pointed lasers of four other STF Irkens. Red just smiled smugly as Skoodge struggled in pain. If an Irken detached from their PAKs by choice it was a painless 'get it back on in 10 minutes,' but if their PAK was torn off with none of the pre-removal protocol… well... it was a pain that no Irken would ever wish on even their most hated enemies.

Tallest Red turned to the door. "I know there's one more of you out there. Come out now. …Unless you want your friend to die in the worst pain imaginable," Red suggested.

All eyes were on the door. Skoodge gasped out with the little air his lungs would hold, "No.. Don't."

"You idiot." Purple yelled at him.

But nothing stopped Zim as he stepped out of his hiding spot and turned to face the Tallest.


	45. Mastermind

_**A/N: **__If you thought that last chapter ending was intense you'll hate me for this one. Zim finally learns who is behind all the troubles on Irk. Also Zak learns a secret to. Leave Comments._

_Also I felt like re-pointing out that I did mention at one point that **Purple was top in his class in hand to hand combat.** That's why he did so well in the last chapter and will do so well in this one. I bet you were all reading that last chapter squeeling in delight at how B-A the Tallest was. **If you weren't, you will in this chapter!**_

* * *

**Chapter 45 – Mastermind**

"Zak! Get out of here!" Dib yelled shoving the tiny Irken back. He ran at their attacker but was defeated quickly with a punch to the stomach, much like Kark had been.

The poor smeet stood frozen with fear. This was too real for it to be any kind of test. But it wasn't even the red eyes of the robot in front of him that was the most terrifying. That first attack, which had taken out Kark, had also knocked out one of Dib's lenses. Zak realized he had not been following two Irkens. He had been tricked.

The smeet fled on his PAK legs.

* * *

"Finally the worm shows itself." Red stood straight, his arms folded in a smug 'I've Won' posture. "I don't know who you are, or how you've gone unnoticed as a taller for so long, but your game is over. You've lost."

Zim stood to his full height, raising his antennae slightly to appear even taller. "My Tallest." He gave a slight bow out of respect, hoping that by doing so he could subdue the Irken Leader's mentality.

"Hmf" Red looked over at Purple. "At least you pick a minion that knows proper respect." He turned back to the standing taller. "Tell me, what has this traitor offered you? Money? Fame?"

"Aren't you first going to ask who I am?" Zim inquired. He remained slightly bowed looking up at Tallest Red. Attempting to appear innocent when you were plotting the downfall of the one you were bowing to was proving to be extremely difficult.

Red folded his arms and leaned back on his hover disk. "I don't really care, but if it will make you think your name won't be forgotten when you die, then go ahead."

"My Tallest," Zim said straightening up, "I have come from very far away and…"

"No stalling." Red snapped, cutting him off. "Speak your name or if you'd rather we can just get the executions over with." He gestured to one of the STF Irkens, who gave Skoodge a hard kick to his squeedlyspooch.

Zim winced as he heard his friend cry out in pain. The clock was ticking. He bowed again. "Forgive me my Tallest. It is just that you will be shocked when you hear my name."

Red glared at Zim. "I highly doubt anything could surprise me anymore. Now do you plan to talk or shall we end this."

Zim took a deep breath then stood straight, glaring at his former leader. He lifted a hand in a mocking salute. "Invader Zim reporting for duty." The room was silent.

Red's eyes grew wide. "Zim…" he whispered. The moment of shock passed as those red eyes filled with rage. The red Tallest turned his back and moved behind the group of waiting STF soldiers. "Shoot them."

The STF Irkens raised their weapons.

"Hang on… Can't we talk or something?" Purple suggested.

"You had your time to talk." Red spoke coldly at his former friend. "Do it." He reinforced the command.

One STF member lowered his gun to point it at Skoodge's head. Zim watched in horror as the Irken began to pull the trigger.

"GAH!" The cry came not from the intended victims. It was Tallest Red that shouted as he fell to the floor, knocked down by a SIR robot with glowing red eyes. His hover disk shattered. The Tallest lay on the floor dazed as the STF Irkens opened fire on the robot. Purple took that moment to knock out the four nearest STFs and the one next to Skoodge. He grabbed the trembling Irken and the loose PAK and tossed them over toward Zim. He then went to take out the other remaining soldiers.

"Hang on Skoodge!" Zim grabbed the PAK and flipped over his friend. Skoodge moaned, as every movement caused his body to ignite in waves of pain. Zim brought the PAK close to the ports on his friends back. Two wires extended into his back. The result was immediate. Skoodge stopped convulsing. The pain had gone but it left him weak. He rolled onto his side and gave Zim a half-hearted smile before slipping into a forced hibernation mode.

A small explosion knocked the two to the side. Zim looked up in time to see Red and Purple crash into opposite walls and slump to the ground. The SIR robot stood in the middle of the room. One of its fists was bigger than the other, making it look all the more dangerous. Zim couldn't quite place where he had seen it before until that horrible laugh sounded.

"TAK! What are you doing here!?" Zim shouted.

Those familiar purple eyes appeared on the main screen in the room. "Hello Zim. It took you long enough to get here. Ever since you attempted to hack the smeet factory I was in charge of I've been waiting for this moment. I've been planning my revenge and you've done everything I expected."

"You're still after Revenge? What'd I do this time!?" Zim gave the screen a skeptical glare.

"Fool. You really think I gave up after you defeated me? No. You weren't the only one to ruin my life. But you are the one that will give me the most pleasure in your destruction." Tak's smile sent chills down Zim's spine. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. Tak was the mastermind behind all the problems they had encountered on Irk.

"Are you the one that caused the fight between the Tallests?"

Tak's antennae perked up. "No, but it was simple to manipulate them. Though I must say I didn't expect Red would go against my plan by coming to the Tower himself. Nor did I think that there were traitors that would release Purple, but ehh.." Tak shrugged. "The only change that makes is that Red will also die." She looked through the screen over at the Tallest and smirked.

"So you are the one that increased security?"

"I already said that you fool."

"Are you the one that alerted the fleet to the Vortian ship?"

Tak's eyes opened wide before turning into a smug grin. "Oh yes. The ship of the Resisty. Being as close to them as you are, you should be happy to know that the Vort Battle Ship managed to escape." Zim's antennae betrayed his feeling of relief. Tak laughed. "Yes they only escaped because they sent out a small escape pod using an alien signal to draw the attention of the fleet."

Zim looked up confused.

Tak continued, "and in fact thanks to that I was able to learn your whole reason for coming here."

It took a few seconds for Zim to realize what those words meant. "KAM! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER, TAK!?"

"Kam? Is that a name? If you mean that human-filth, she is currently in an escape pod on a crash course with a black hole."

* * *

_If you didn't get the red-eyed robot that Zak saw as a reference to MiMi then I'll just put that out there now. _

_Tak's hostages include: Kam, Dib, Kark, Lard Nar, as well as Red, Purple and Skoodge now that Mimi is there with all her weapons. As for where they are? That you'll have to wait to find out. I have Fiber Arts homework to do so I won't be writing for the next few days._


	46. Crash Course

**_A/N:_**_ Hey guys I know I said I would be working on homework but my life is fkn stressful and I'm finding that writing is a good destressor. Sorry if I'm not good at balancing humor and tension in my stories. I do try to make it not non-stop suspense but I look back on my chapters and thats how they all seem to end. Kind of like my life. haha... _

_Anyway Heres the next chapter. If you don't remember two of the names mentioned in this chapter go back and look at Chapter 4. Or you can check my DeviantArt page.  
Ps. Sorry Cassanova that you hate my homework. I don't really like weaving either, but seeing as I'm failing another class I need to try and pass Fiber Arts :P hahaha._

* * *

**Chapter 46 – Crash Course**

"You seein' this Turl?" Xort looked at the signal appearing on the screen. "That's right around the Irken planet isn't it?"

Turl nodded and turned the ship toward the epicenter of the distress call and hit the throttle.

"Whoa hey, sure that's a good idea? If the Irkens are planning to start the fight we should call home for backup."

Turl remained completely calm. "It looks like our little friend could use some help."

Xort looked at Turl. "What friend?" Turl didn't give any more information. Xort shrugged. It wasn't often that Turl smiled so Xort figured he'd let him do whatever he wanted.

* * *

-THUD- "Oww…" Kark rolled onto her side and sat up more slowly and not as far up to avoid banging her horns on the low ceiling again.

"Welcome back." Dib voice came from next to her but it was so dark she couldn't see.

"Where are we?" Kark crawled army-style to the edges of the dark space they were in, which really wasn't large at all.

"Beats me. Last I remember we got attacked by Mimi." Dib stayed where he was lying. He had been awake for a while and had already searched the extent of their new prison.

"What's a Mimi?"

"It's a robot that Tak built. Kind of like GIR only not stupid. By the way I think the door is over there." He said but he realized pointing in the dark was completely useless. "It's shut tight. I couldn't get it open."

With Dib's help Kark made her way to what he thought was the door. It was the only place that had an even break in the wall. They were probably in some small compartment in a one man cruiser based on the low ceiling. Kark pushed at the door but she couldn't get a grip on the ground.

"Any chance you can brace me while I try to push this open?"

Dib wiggled himself around the tiny space until his hands were close enough to brace Kark. He let himself get distracted for long enough to notice that Kark had hoofs rather than feet. It made sense; she did have goat horns after all.

"You ready?"

"Almost," Dib turned himself further so his feet could push against the opposite wall. "Okay. OWW!" Kark had pushed off hard and Dib's elbows had buckled earning him a kick in the head.

"I thought you said you were ready?"

"How was I supposed to know you were that strong?"

Kark laughed. "Not all speices base strength on height," she said. "One more time. I'll start slower; try to lock your arms."

"Right…" Dib braced himself better that time, but he still thought his arms would break as Kark slowly pushed harder and harder. It seemed like longer than it actually was but slowly a crack of light shone into their dark alcove. "Alright! Almost!" Kark gave one good push that made Dib's arms buckle again but this time the door shoved open.

The two crawled out into the slightly larger space. Kark had been right in her guess. They were indeed on a one-man cruiser. Irken by the looks of it. Out the windows was nothing but space for as far as she could see.

"Do you think you can fly this?... Dib?" Kark turned around to see Dib sitting on the floor squinting. "What's wrong?"

"My glasses must have fallen off when we got attacked. I can't see anything."

Kark walked over and waved her hand in front of his face. "Nothing?"

"Well I can see your hand, but everything is blurry. My eyesight is really bad."

"So you probably can't read the controls can you…?" Dib turned his head squinting around the ship. He turned back to the dark grey blob that was Kark and shook his head. Kark sighed and sat down next to him.

"My time in the Resisty I learned to read twenty different alien languages I learned the basis of technology for hundreds of planets… but I couldn't learn a little Irken?" She sighed and shook her head.

"Don't feel bad. It took me years to learn Irken and I taught myself by spying on Zim and his computers. Besides we're still alive and weren't just shoved out an airlock. Tak must have something planned, which means we may have time to make our own plan." With his blurry vision, Dib was barely able to tell that Kark nodded at his words.

"I'll go see what I can make of the controls, though they're probably locked."

"Better than sitting and doing nothing, right?" Dib smiled encouragingly at the grey blob. The sound of her voice told him she was getting down on herself; although it could just have been his imagination. He wished he could see something more than just fuzz. He wished this even more when the ship started shaking. "What's happening!?"

"Uh oh…"

"Uhoh? What Uh oh?"

"We may have just gotten caught in the gravitational pull of a nearby star…"

"Caught as in: Sling shot around it?"

"No… Caught as in… headed straight towards it."

* * *

"Tak! Do whatever you want with me but leave my friends out of it!" Zim yelled at the screen, but Tak just laughed at him.

"If you want to save them you can either fly off and maybe get to one of the two ships in time, or you can take that teleporter there and come get on your knees and beg me to turn them around. Well Zim? What'll it be?"

* * *

_Warning for next chapter it may end up a little graphic in the violence category. Tak isn't exactly a happy person, and begging isn't going to satisfy her. Sorry for the spoilers but I already know what I'm going to write and if you have a weak stomach you may want to be aware._


	47. Invader Zak

_Okay, I lied. The violence comes next chapter. This one is kind of cute as it follows Zak from after he seperated from Dib and Kark. _

_I have given up on my anatomy class so the time I spent studying for that has gone into writing this. Still have my weaving to do. Meh I'll do it later._

* * *

**Chapter 47 – Invader Zak**

Zak kept running until he crashed right into someone. It was the Irken soldier he had knocked out before, the one in the blue tunic.

"You!" The soldier grabbed Zak's arm as he tried to run. "Hang on I'm not going to hurt you… Stop squirming."

Zak couldn't break the taller Irken's grip so he settled for refusing eye contact.

"Where are the aliens you were with?" the soldier asked him. Zak did his best to try and not look scared. He turned to salute the taller. He hoped that if the empire knew he had been tricked then he wouldn't be punished for helping them.

"I'm sorry sir." He said standing tall. The soldier released his hand. "They were attacked by a robot. It was during that fight which it was revealed to me they were not Irken."

"Attacked? Where?"

Zak squinted up at the soldier. Then pointed back the direction he had come.

"Show me." The soldier commanded. They rushed off with Zak leading the way. The poor little smeet was still stuck in this mess; he was beginning to wish he had been more suspicious when the aliens destroyed the computer in the smeet factory. It wasn't like they were mean or anything but his PAK told him that they were inferior. Even if they were nice to him they still needed to be destroyed.

The pair rounded the corner to the room where the attack had occurred. There was no one in sight. Zak watched the soldier as he scanned the room with a pair of neat looking goggles, and followed as he turned and walked down the hall.

"Sir? I was wondering if I'll be punished for helping them…" Zak asked cautiously. The soldier stopped and looked at Zak.

"So it's safe to assume you were tricked?" he asked. Zak nodded. Blert sighed as the knelt down to put a hand on the Smeet's head. "This may be hard to understand with your younger PAK coding but these aliens aren't bad. They're trying to help us Irkens." He was right. This was hard for Zak to understand. He gave the soldier a skeptical look.

The sound of a thud and a machine sparking to life came from nearby. Blert readied his weapon and peaked around the corner. He barely caught a glimpse of Dib and Kark shoved into a teleporter before they disappeared in a flash of light. A SIR robot ran from the room. Blert let off a few shots while it ran past but all of the missed.

"That's not good." Blert turned and ran into the room. He went over to the control panel to track the teleporter signal location. They had been sent to a fleet command vessel. It had to be that new commander. Blert worked to try and see if he could pull them back before they were taken from the teleporter but had no luck. He let out an Irken swear.

"Sir, can I ask what is going on?" Zak stood next to him staring at the controls.

Blert thought how best to answer this without having the smeet think he was a traitor to their race. He continued pressing buttons to reassess the connection with the other teleporter. Slowly he responded, "There is an Irken commander that is attempting to start a civil war within our race. These aliens are here to stop her from doing that… and we need to help them." He glanced down at the smeet.

"But they are inferior to us. Surely we could fix the problem ourselves?" Zak suggested.

Blert shook his head. "The problem has gone unnoticed too long. There are many of our kind that do not know what she's doing." Zak started to say something but the room shook with the force of an explosion on the floor above, causing him to lose his balance. He caught himself on his PAK legs.

"Can I do anything to help?" the tiny smeet asked.

Blert smiled. "Does your PAK tell you how to work a teleporter?" He doubted it did since it was usually information specific to Technicians, he had himself been taught how to operate teleporters by Varshlez. Zak shook his head. Blert paused his typing, thinking what would be the next best course of action.

Someone had to go after them, but these were old teleporters that couldn't run a delayed sequence. In the past it had been deemed too dangerous to let someone program the teleporter on a timer and then step into it themselves. Many Irkens had gotten cut in half doing that. Newer models had safeguards against that sort of thing, but not this one. This one required the activation codes to be imputed after the teleporter tube had sealed itself.

"You don't have to do this if you fear getting destroyed." Blert said, looking down at Zak. "But if you think you're up to it, someone has to take this teleporter to the fleet command ship where the aliens were sent. Zak saluted Blert indicating that he was ready.

Zak was sealed in the teleporter. As Blert began typing out the activation code he raised his voice so the smeet could hear him over the machine. "Don't do anything stupid. She's taller and stronger than you. If you can't save the two of them just wait around. A taller named Zim should arrive there at some point, guessing on how much of a megalomaniac the Commander is."

Zak nodded. He was forced to close his eyes as a bright light surrounded him. When he opened them he found himself in a totally different room. A technician turned when he saw the smeet appear in the teleporter.

"What are you doing here?" the technician asked. Zak shrugged as he waited for the Technician to release him from the tube. Once he was out he tried to think of the best course of action. _The Commander of this ship is bad. These Irkens are following her. Are they bad also or are they the ones that don't know what's happening?_ His PAK was already having trouble processing the fact that he was going to help some aliens, so he decided to make things simple and just head butt them all, in the same way that had knocked out the soldier from before.

Once all the Technicians were unconscious, Zak crawled across the ceiling with his PAK legs in order to sneak past some guards. Thanks to a conversation between two of these guards, he was able to learn which way Dib and Kark had been taken. He entered into a large room, empty except for two Irkens. They didn't seem to like each other based on how they were glaring at one another.

He watched from the ceiling as the taller of the two got down onto his knees and bowed to the shorter female. He didn't understand why a taller would be bowing. His attention was pulled by two images on the giant computer monitor. He didn't recognize the sleeping alien in the one but the other one showed Kark and Dib; Kark was pounding on the controls of a Voot Cruiser. Zak looked back down as the Taller started yelling

"Please Tak! Reverse the direction of the ships!" Zim begged, but Tak only laughed at him.

"What happened to all that pride you used to have? You're as pathetic as the humans!" She laughed seeing Zim's fists tighten. "A defective through and through." Tak pulled out a laser, "you don't deserve to live."

Zak closed his eyes as shots were fired.

* * *

_Leave comments or I might get too depressed to continue writing cause of my sucky life. :P Just kidding! But seriously I'm going to try and work on homework instead of write unless people are desperate for next chapter. People besides Cassanova. XP_


	48. A Blertz Attack

_**A/N:**__ Hey guys sorry about the wait, though it was only 3 days. And also I lied again. The chapter I said was violent will probably come next time. I keep pushing it off cause I think of other stuff to add before it. _

_I didn't think I would get a chance to write today because of a party I'm going to tonight but I woke up a lot earlier than expected. And thank you so much to john and Froyo3. Your comments really made me smile. _

_Ok! Without further to do! Enjoy my Chapter that is a semi-fail pun on Blitz Attack!_

* * *

**Chapter 48 – A Blertz Attack**

As soon as he had confirmed that Zak had arrived at the correct location, Blert turned and hurried out of the room. There had been no sounds since that explosion and the soldier was getting worried.

He cautiously peaked into the room of the Control Brains. A large scorch mark was on the center of the floor. Ten STF Irkens lay unconscious, bound and gagged, on the floor. A pile of forcibly removed PAKs lay not far off. It had been 7 minutes since that explosion. Blert knew the clock was ticking.

He scanned over the rest of the room. Skoodge was lying over in the corner, his PAK still attached. He didn't look in the greatest condition but Blert could see he was still alive.

A cry of pain came out farther back in the room. Blert looked to see a strange looking SIR rip the PAK off of Tallest Red. It threw the mechanical brain over next to a similar one with purple spots instead of grey.

"No…" He let out the whisper involuntarily. The SIR's bright red eyes locked in on him. It shot forward with its boosters, a large claw reaching out to strike at his face. Blert dove to the right. He pulled out his weapon and opened fire on the robot. This SIR was faster than the ones he had seen in the past. From the looks of it, it had been built for combat not for information gathering.

Blert ran into the room angling himself away from the fallen Irkens. He didn't want to risk them getting caught in the crossfire. The robot flew at him again. This time its arm extended, catching him off guard. A sharp pain shot through his antenna as the SIR gripped it and twisted. Another good yank had he heard a sickening crack. The sounds of the robot became warped with his impaired hearing.

His PAK sent a shallow alert to his brain but he deactivated it along with his pain receptors. It was a feature only soldiers had and it was one they used only in emergencies. For Blert himself, it was just his second time using it. The first time he had nearly died from his ignored injuries. This time he couldn't afford to worry about the danger. There was too much at stake.

Blert loosed several shots. The robot dodged most of them but one clipped its smaller arm. The time was now 8 minutes since the explosion. The robot came at him again. Blert dodged to the right but was caught in the stomach when the SIR extended both its arms. He had the wind knocked out of him but recovered quickly.

Back on his feet he leapt backwards trying to put some distance between them. He let off more shots, but the robot dodged them all. He cursed inwardly. _This is ridiculous! I can't even hit the thing._ It was then that he spotted a small inconsistency in the robot's propulsion units. The thruster of its left leg was going slightly harder than the one on the right. During the robot's next pass he saw a slight indent in the shaping of the metal. It wasn't much but the robot hadn't yet adjusted the added pressure to its thruster.

Each of the robot's next few attacks Blert responded by dodging to the left. He would either swing at the robot or fire a shot at it. His punches made contact several times and although they were lower damage, he abandoned the laser and switched to hand to hand. This worked well until he slipped on a loose PAK from one of the STF Irkens. He swore aloud as he fell back on the pile of bodies. He turned to shield his face, knowing he wouldn't be able to dodge the next attack.

"GET DOWN!"

Blert obeyed the command ducking down and covering the other Irkens with his body. The sound of a laser and a crunch of metal on metal sounded. He looked up to see the SIR unit smashed into the wall. Its eyes were now a dull grey. Blert turned to face a moan from behind as Skoodge rolled onto his stomach and attempted to stand. He failed and crashed back to the floor, then simply rolled himself to his side and stayed there.

Blert started to go over to him but Skoodge lazily waved him off. "Check on those other's first. They can't have much time left." Blert nodded and went to work.

He started with the STF Irkens since he had not been there to know when their PAKs had been removed. He picked up each PAK and held it over each of the Irken's backs until it connected with its correct host. Once they were all re-attached he turned and headed over to the Tallests who had been dragged and bound together. Their breathing relaxed visibly as their PAKs reconnected.

Red's eyes were the first to flicker open. "Wha… What happened…?" It took him a moment to notice the restraints on his wrists. "What is this?! Soldier, untie me at once."

Blert saluted the Tallest but made no move to untie him. "My apologies My Tallest, however until you have grasped the full situation I believe that it is in your best interests to remain like that."

"I don't care what you believe! Disobedient soldier! I… Hey what the?" Red had tried to use his own PAK to break loose but, due to the rough handling it had received upon removal, the portals were jammed shut. "Oh well if that isn't just great…" Red sighed realizing he wouldn't get out of this. "Fine then, however you Will tell me what happened here."

Blert nodded on the condition he could properly check Skoodge's and everyone else's conditions while he talked. Red agreed seeing as he didn't have much choice.

As Blert explained the situation to the fullest of his knowledge, Purple and the other soldiers one by one regained consciousness. After Purple woke up Blert agreed to untie the Tallests. The pair stood rubbing their bruised wrists. They both avoided eye contact for a while.

"Sorry… for everything."

Purple perked his antennae and turned to look at Red with a shocked expression. Red continued looking at the ground until his friend patted him hard on the back.

"No big deal. After this is all over, let's go get some doughnuts." Purple had his usual silly grin on his face as he walked over to help Blert with untying the STF soldiers. Red smiled and went to help as well.

* * *

_YAY RED IS BACK ON THE SIDE OF THE GOOD GUYS! Well.. he was never a bad guy he's just... confused... then again destroying planets is kind of bad... I DONT KNOW HE'S STILL MY FAVORITE TALLEST! ... actually I like them both after writing this... Oh Well... BRING ON THE DOUGHNUTS!_


	49. Gooey Hope

_**A/N:**__ This is by far my longest chapter. I though it was only fair seeing as the chapter before this marked me having more reviews than thousand words/chapters. Which is probably not a big deal but I think it's cool.  
Anyway, I thank you all so much for continuing to read with this story. The intensity doesn't stop here. Enjoy_

* * *

**Chapter 49 – No More Gooey Hope...?**

The ship of the fleet captain was bombarded by shouted reports from cruisers all throughout the asteroid belt.

"SIR! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"FLERKOSIAN SHIPS! THEY CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!"

"WE'VE LOST FOUR SHIPS ALREADY! WHAT ARE YOUR ORDERS!?"

The fleet captain couldn't formulate a plan fast enough. _This isn't how it was supposed to be! She never said anything about the resistance having help!_ Reports continued to pour in. He gave the order for retreat. The fleet he commanded was built for scouting not battle. Soldiers would call in requesting backup and their lines would go dead a moment later.

"Contact the Commander's ship!" He yelled at the nearest technician.

"Sir!" a soldier called out to him from one of the frontal scanner posts. "A Flerkosian Battleship is headed our way! What are your orders?"

The Captain bit down on his lip, trying desperately to think of a plan. His ship might be able to escape but it had no chance in combat. How many ships had they already lost for this fight that made no sense to begin with?

"Sir, the battleship is hailing us. Shall I open the channel?"

The captain looked down at the communications officer and nodded. He had a feeling he knew what was coming and it might be his fleets only hope. _Better to be alive failures than dead ones._

The orange face of a Flerkosian came up on the screen. "This is Commander Rost of the Flerkosian Royal Fleet. You are clearly outnumbered and out gunned. I would like to offer you this chance to surrender before we increase the amount of goo-shed. What is your answer?"

The Irken Captain got up from his seat. It was forbidden to surrender. Surrender meant weakness, and weakness meant death. And while the Captain knew this, he also knew only he would be put to death whereas all the soldiers under his watch were simply following orders.

He turned to his chief communications officer. "Send out the order to all ships to stand down." He looked up at the screen to see Commander Rost nodding.

"A wise decision. My friend would not have been pleased if I had slaughtered so many of his kind." Rost turned to speak with someone off screen, "prepare to board their ship." Turning back to the Irken Captain he said, "I'm sending over soldiers. All weapons must be placed on the ground and all Irkens with weaponry in their PAKs must be standing with their backs pressed to a wall. These soldiers know I won't hesitate to destroy your ship with them aboard so I wouldn't try anything if I were you."

The Irken Captain nodded and gave the orders. He would die when he got home but his friends on the ship would live.

* * *

Zim let out a hiss of pain as the laser took a small chunk out of his right arm. It was a shallow graze but the laser melted his skin down to a vein. He pressed his other hand on the new wound to keep his life-goo from coming out but it still squelched between his fingers.

Tak laughed, "Looks like my aim is off a bit tonight. Here, let me try that again." She fired two more shots grazing him on the cheek and ankle, singeing his skin. "There, how's that?" she laughed. Zim hissed as the pain signals from the burns reached his brain. Tak raised her weapon again.

Zim attempted to dodge but the pain from his ankle slowed him. The shot scraped the right of his neck. His first reaction was to press his hand to the wound but he ignored the pain to keep pressing the wound to his arm. His eyes glanced toward the monitors. There had to be something he could do.

Tak shot at him again; this time Zim pushed through the pain and dodged successfully. He rolled to the side, his life-goo splattering on the floor. Every movement pushed more out. He began to feel the strain to the goo-runner-midsection of his squeedlyspooch.

"What's the matter Zim? Your breathing seems a little forced. The fun isn't going to end already is it?"

He was indeed breathing hard. His vision was starting to blur as well. It was then that some movement caught his attention. Tak noticed him staring over her head. She turned to see what he was looking at. Dib and Kark were messing with the control panels of the ship they were in.

"Don't get your hopes up." Tak warned him. "I put so many security protocol on that ship they couldn't break through in a million years."

All the laser burns on his skin ignited with fresh pain as he pushed himself to stand. "You don't know them like I do. Dib has never been one to give up, and Kark does whatever it takes."

"Bet you can't say as much for your girlfriend. She hasn't even woken up." Kam was sitting in the same place now as when she had been first placed into the ship. Her breathing was heavy. Even over the surveillance feed, the pain shown on her face was obvious. Zim glared at Tak.

"She's just a human! She has nothing to do with the problems you have with me!"

Tak pulled out her gun and let out a few more shots. Zim fell to the floor. His new wounds were more than grazes. One of her shots had passed straight through his side, just right of his squeedlyspooch. Another had shot him square in the knee.

Tak walked up to her pitiful excuse of an enemy. Zim howled in pain as she kicked him as hard as she could in the torso. His body stopped rolling several feet away where he lay sprawled out. The wound on his right arm continued bleeding. He pushed himself up.

Zim's PAK was sending him a cacophony of alert signals: life goo pressure low to critical, heat damage to multiple areas, body in immediate danger of shut down, healing hibernation required. He fought to stay conscious. If he went into hibernation now he would definitely die, as would his friends and wife. He flinched at the pain from putting pressure on right arm. His life-goo was squelching out of his side and knee.

As Zim was fighting to stand Tak made her way over to him planning to give him another good kick, one that he wouldn't be able to stand up after.

The door to the room slid open and a technician burst into the room. "Commander Tak! We…" He froze seeing the wounded taller on the ground.

"What is it you buffoon?" Tak yelled drawing his attention away from Zim. The technician blinked a couple of times before collecting his thoughts.

"Sir, the scout fleet that had been searching for the Resisty's ship has surrendered to a Flerkosian fleet."

"THEY WHAT!?" Tak shrieked her orders at the technician causing him to flee from the room. She stood for a moment facing the door fuming. Her rage peaked when she heard Zim laughing.

Every breath hurt but this was the only chance he would get. Zim knew if he made her mad enough she would get sloppy.

"The Resisty is safe. Flerkosian and Meekrob fleets are on the way. You can't win Tak!" She turned and ran towards him lodging her foot into the wound in his side. Zim yelled in pain as Tak pressed her foot to the wound, holding him on the ground.

"You think I would give up that easily? You fool! The Tallests are dead by now and you soon will be also! My revenge won't be stopped!" Tak held up her weapon and pressed it to Zim's head. "I'm getting tired of looking at you. You think you have hope but you're wrong. All I have to do is pull this trigger and you're dead. Your precious help will never arrive in time."

Zim could feel his mind going dark. The pain from his wound would kill him before she ever pulled the trigger. He closed his eyes tight thinking desperately for some way out, but there was none.

"Goodbye Zim."

"NOT TODAY YOU OLD HAG!" With the shout, the pressure on Zim's wound was removed. He heard Tak yell out in pain. Cracking open his eyes, Zim managed to push his head up just enough to see a tiny smeet standing between him and Tak.

* * *

_Ok now who all do I have left to save or kill? Dib, Kark, Kam? Is that it? Well yeah Zim and Zak also. Ok well depending on how much writers block I get between chapters like I have been lately, the next chapter will come out in 3-5 days... probably. I need to do my weaving..._

_p.s. ZAK TO THE RESCUE!_


	50. Communication and Explosion

_**A/N: of the 50th chapter! wow this story is long! **__Guys I am so sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I had major writers block. Fun bonus at the end of the chapter to make up for it. The bonus is after the chapter, not how it ends cause you may not like me for that... but still it might be fun._

_PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! I rewrote this chapter 7 times before it sounded any good. Please Let me know What You Think!_

* * *

**Chapter 50 – Communication**

"Hey look over there… What is that?" Xort pointed out the window. Their ship was passing through a heavy gravitational field. They were passing at a safe distance since it's not really something one would want to run into, but there through their windows they could see a ship headed straight towards it.

Xort and Turl looked from each other to the ship.

"You think they know what's in front of them?" Xort asked.

Turl turned the ship, "let's not wait to find out."

* * *

"Sir…?"

Zim felt a heavy blackness surrounding him. _Where am I? Who's talking?_

"Sir!"

The voice got louder as if it was getting closer so did some zapping noises. He cracked his eyes open just in time to see a bright flash of light char the ground right in front of his face. "WHAT THE!?" Zim jumped back; white hot pain shot through his arm. "Gah.."

"HOLD STILL YOU PATHETIC LITTLE…!" Zim looked up to see Tak chasing a smeet around the room. She wasn't holding back on her laser fire by any means. Burnt circles scattered the floor and the walls.

"SIR! You Have to wake up!" the smeet was running around using his PAK legs dodging one attack after another. One of the robotic legs was only half there with melted wires sticking out the end.

Zim forced himself up. His body still hurt all over but thanks to that short moment of forced hibernation his PAK had managed to cut off the loss of life-goo from his arm, side and knee.

"AARRHG" a mountain of boxes crashed down burying Tak beneath them.

Zak ran over to Zim who was still struggling to stand. "My Taller, we need to get out of here. Can you stand?"

Zim concentrated and extended his PAK legs. "I'll manage. But we can't leave. We have to unlock the controls on those ships." He pointed over to the computer screens. "Can you keep Tak busy while I do that?" The pair glanced over to the pile of boxes; for now there was no movement but… it's Tak. Zim didn't expect this to slow her for more than a minute. He felt bad about putting the smeet in danger but there was no time for anything else.

"Leave it to me. I'll keep her distracted for as long as I can. Just make sure you save those aliens." Zim watched the smeet rush off and take up a defensive position between him and the mountain of rubble while he wondered how the smeet knew they were aliens. He shook off the thought and hurried over to the computers.

"Come on Dib. You better not have damaged the controls."

* * *

"You think that got it?" Dib called out from his spot halfway inside the control panel. "Ahh!" He recoiled as the wires he was messing with sparked. _This would be simple if I could see._ Trying to figure out what goes where by just touch and blurry color wasn't very easy.

"Nothing yet. Try something else."

"You know it's kind of hard to see what I'm doing, maybe you should be the one down here."

"I've never worked on an Irken ship before and you have. Now we've got about 10 minutes until the internal atmospheric controls break down from the solar radiation. So get back to work."

Dib sighed and squinted between different wires. "Are you always this bossy?" He looked through the opening to the panel to Kark's hoofs shift where she was standing.

"I've been in the Resistance since I was 3 years old. I've had to learn to take command."

"Since you were 3? Why so young?" Dib asked. He wanted to keep the conversation going to help distract them both. Also, he was finding it interesting hearing about an alien species that wasn't Irken. Kark didn't respond right away. For a moment Dib thought he had asked something he shouldn't have.

"When I was three the Irkens began Operation Impending Doom 2. That was the first wave of invaders they sent out. It's probably the same one that sent Zim to your planet."

Dib paused in his work and stared out at Kark's feet-hoofs. "You're 17 years old?"

"Huh? No I'm 9…" Kark paused, "Oh did you mean on your planet?"

"Oh right years may not be the same amount of time between planets."

Dib looked out as he heard Kark laugh. "I wasn't talking about my age on my planet. I meant my age on the Universal Phase Standard for time. Vort has a very short year length while Irk has a long one. Back when the planets were allies, they created a time standard balancing the two. In Vortian years I would be 73, and in Irken years I would around 1.8."

"Huh… never thought about that before…GAH!" Dib hissed in pain as a jolt passed from a wire to his hand.

"You alright?" Kark bent down to look through the gap.

"Yeah… just shocked myself," Dib explained. He continued working to make sense of the mess he was in.

"So how old are you?" Dib noted the curiosity in her voice. She wasn't just continuing the conversation like he had been.

"Well on my planet I'm 25 years. I'm not sure how that relates to that UPS time."

"Do you know how old Zim is in earth years?"

"Uh.. yeah he mentioned it once when we were younger. He said he'd been flying ships since before I'd been born. I asked him later and he guessed around 169 earth years but that was 10 years ago at least." Dib answered as he squinted around moving his hand along one wire after another to figure out where each connected. This cruiser was much more complicated than the one he had worked on before.

"So that would make you around 2.3 Irk years and 11.5 UPS years." The sound of Kark's voice moved away a bit as she went to try working the computers again. "Still no change up here."

"Ok… So that would make us right around the same age wouldn't it?" Dib forced himself to keep his eyes on the wires. It was pretty cool to think that not all aliens were hundreds of years older than him. It just seemed like all Irkens were older. Well… all Irkens other than Zak.

"Hmm… I guess it would. Though that would mean you're older by a bit. Not sure if I like that." Kark mumbled the last part. She hadn't intended for Dib to hear but when he started laughing she knew he had.

"Why is it bad that I'm older?" Dib looked out to see Kark shuffling her feet.

"It's not bad… It's just weird to think that you're older and yet I know more."

Kark didn't see it but Dib smirked. "Know more excluding how to read Irken," he teased. Kark lightly kicked him in the leg. Dib laughed then slid himself out of the control panel. "I'm not having any luck with the controls. I'll give it a shot with the communications panel." He reached out and took the hand Kark offered to help him up. This was a little bit strange considering she was shorter and still able to pull him up. Well she did say that not all species judged strength by height. " Wanna open it for me?" He looked up at Kark as she pulled him up.

"Who needs to read irken when you can open a control panel." She turned to the hatch under the panel and kicked it hard. The metal bent inward and a spot kinked out giving Dib a handhold. He pulled the metal out and tossed it next to the other cover.

Crawling into the opening, Dib laughed, "nice sarcasm. Gimme a second I'll see what I can.."

"_DIB? EARTH-STINK! CAN YOU HEAR ME?"_

Dib sat up so fast he banged his head. "Oww… Zim…?" he slid himself out. Kark was already at the control panel.

"Zim! Can you hear us?"

At first they heard nothing but static but Zim's voice crackled back in, "_Di##Kark I'll#### the controls. You'll have to f###out manualy."_

"Zim?!" Dib worked to try and boost the signal. "Zim…? Come on man"

"Can you get him back?"

"_He already did and I'd prefer if he didn't refer to me as a stinking human!"_

Dib laughed, "Sorry you stupid alien. Now are you going to help us or what?"

"_Give me a mom…" _some crashes sounded through the radio, followed by a string of Irken swears.

"What's going on?" Kark yelled into the receiver.

"_Uhh… a bit of weapons fire… that smeet you two were with is fighting Tak… where did you find a smeet anyway? Oh hang on… Okay got it. Try the controls now."_

Dib turned to the flight controls. He practically shoved his face into them so he could be close enough to see what he was pressing. The controls finally responded to his touch. "Alright! We are out of here. Hang on tight Kark, we have a long flight back." Since it was only a single passenger Voot Cruiser Kark had to settle for wedging herself between the seat and the wall as the full power of Irken engineering shot away from a raging star. "Hang on till we get there Zim. You and Zak."

"_Will do. Try and hurry. I've got to work on getting Kam's ship turned around."_

"Kam's in trouble?"

"_She #!$#!%$# %#$!%_... The resulting sound from an explosion nearly blew Dib's ears off. The radio went dead.

"Zim? ... ZIM?!"

"What happened?" Kark leaned over Dib's shoulder to get a look at the computer.

"I'm not sure it just went dead… We have to hurry."

* * *

Zim sat in shock staring at the smoking computer. His only link to his wife… his only way to help her… gone. He turned to see Tak standing holding the smeet by four broken PAK legs.

"Nice try Zim. But I don't think you'll get back-up twice."

* * *

_**A/N2:**_

_**My irken time table: Zim is 16 irken years and 169 earth years **__(don't ask where I got that from cause I forget) so that means that __**1 earth year is .09 irk years.**_

1 Earth Year = 0.09467 Irk years  
1 Irk year = 5 Universal Phase Standard Years  
1 UPSY = 8.1 Vortian Years

_Congratulations you can now figure out how old you are in my made up alien years!_


	51. Keep a Clear Head

**Chapter 51 – Keep a Clear Head**

"NO!" Zim yelled and ran to the computer. He stared desperately at the gaping laser-made hole in the middle of the controls.

"Hahaha!" Tak laughed, "Now you…

"NOOOO! KAM!" Zim yelled completely ignoring her.

Tak raised her voice, "NOW You!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"now…?"

"KAM! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Tak perked an antenna, feeling distinctly sure this had happened before. She said nothing but Zim continued yelling.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Enough was enough. Tak gave Zim a look of contempt and said, "Ok, I'm going to kill you now." She pulled out her PAK laser to point it at Zim, only to have it blasted right off the PAK arm. She stared at the broken arm with wires sticking out of it, then she moved her eyes to Zim.

He stood still facing her, his eyes closed. His PAK laser was drawn and smoking from the blast it had just shot of, and it was charged for another one. He opened his eyes and looked at the floor for a few seconds. When lifted his eyes to stare at her, Tak's life-goo ran cold. Never before had she seen such pure Rage and Hate. Those eyes cared nothing for what happened, to both themselves and to anyone that got in their way. Those eyes were the eyes of a true Irken Elite.

Tak quickly summed up her options. Zim, no longer timid, will do whatever it takes to kill her. He has his PAK laser meanwhile hers is a useless melted pile of goo on the floor behind her. Her spare lasers are buried under that pile of boxes so those are no good. Even if she could get him to fight hand to hand, Zim is taller than she is; he has the same fighting training plus all that practice and learning from fighting that human-meat on earth. In a fraction of a second, her PAK spit back its analysis of all the variables saying what her chance of success was… the results were not what she was hoping.

She might not be able to fight him alone but she had plenty of soldiers in this ship; _I'll have him arrested then shoot him myself later._ She had wanted to keep his existence on the ship quiet but this was a desperate situation. First things first… getting out of this room.

Zim's mind was blank as he stared at Tak. She had made the past few months a living hell for him and now she had done something that would bring doom on the rest of his existence as well. He was barely conscious of the fact that his laser was charged. He wanted to shoot her but, he held himself back for the sake of the smeet dangling from her hands.

Zim fired when he saw Tak extending her PAK legs. He blasted one of the robotic arms right out from under her. She was off balance but not finished. As Zim prepared to fire again Tak held the smeet out in front of her, using him as a shield. Zim held his fire as he watched Tak flee to the door. When she reached it she threw the unconscious smeet as hard as she could at the wall. Zim's PAK legs carried him swiftly to intercept the smeet and set him gently on the ground. He looked back to the door; Tak was gone.

Zim stepped out into the hallway; and looked both ways. A Technician knelt to the floor gathering papers to the right. He knew which way Tak had gone. As he continued down the hallway a small part of his mind marveled at how composed he felt. His thoughts were clear and he was able to make calm rational decisions for the first time in his life. He had a goal and he knew exactly how to reach it.

…a single max power laser shot into Tak's ID PAK.

* * *

"_Hey there… Hello? Can you hear me?"_

Kam felt too tired to be surprised at the voice. It had been hours since she had first gone into labor and the baby had been ready to come out for a while. It was taking every ounce of will power she had to not push. Slowly she sat herself up enough that she could reach the controls.

"h..hello?" her voice was dry and cracked as she responded.

"_Oh you don't sound too good. Hey Turl ready the medical equipment… Well hey anyway we noticed your ship getting really close to that blackhole there and judging from the sound of your voice I'll guess it wasn't on purpose. Are you able to turn the ship around?"_

"no… the controls were remotely locked." Kam had tried the controls not long after that Irken Commander had put her in the ship.

There was silence on the radio for a moment then the voice said, "_Well see now that's a problem because our ship is bigger than yours so we're already too close... so we can't come in there to get you. Our tractor beam can only pull out smaller objects. Do you have a transporter on that tiny ship of yours?"_

Kam swallowed at the idea in her head. "Can you use the tractor beam on something my size?"

_"…Uh… well yeah… scans show you're pretty small… but… you'd have to be loose in space… are you able to survive that?" _the voice sounded confused.

"For about 5 seconds, if I don't hold my breath. Can you pick me up in that time?" Kam pushed herself onto her feet. There was only one button on an irken voot cruiser that couldn't be locked out.  
The Eject Button…

_"Yeah I can do that but you're bio-readings are really abnormal… you sure you'll be ok?"_

Kam took a deep breath before responding, "It's the only chance I've got. I'm ready to hit the eject. Tell me when to go."

The radio was silent for what seemed to Kam like forever. She could feel the blood rushing to her head as her nerves threatened to get the better of her. When the voice gave the 'OK' she slammed her fist down on the button so hard that she nearly broke her hand. She forced out all the air from her lungs as she was swallowed up by the nothingness of space.

* * *

_**A/N: **__Is Kam going to make it? Is the baby going to make it?  
And what's going to happen to Zim... He's in a rage. Will he really kill Tak and anyone that gets in his way? _

_Hey guys! Sorry the chapters are coming out slower and slower lately. My mom always told me I could weave a story so great that I had no idea how to end it. Guess she was right. Well it's getting there. If you're annoyed with me I apologize. But you can check out my other stories if you're bored! _

_Ok I'll update soon hopefully! The semester is winding down and I have too much work so I make no promises!_


	52. With Aching Goo-runner Organs

_**A/N:**__ Hope you enjoy this chapter. If I say anything more than that it will be spoilers... Leave Reviews!_

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**Chapter 52 – What goes around, Comes back around,  
with an Aching Squeedlyspooch**

Tak was out of breath as she rounded the next corner. The loss of one of her PAK legs was making it very difficult to move quickly. It was taking so much energy and concentration; she would have gotten down and run on her own two legs…. Would have…. But she could here Zim not far behind her threatening a passing Soldier to find out which way she went.

_Just one more deck up._ She told herself and pushed on. The command room was close and she had her soldiers waiting there for her return. As long as those fools didn't drink themselves stupid on soda then stopping Zim would be all too easy.

Those five minutes it took to reach the command center were the hardest minutes she had ever experienced. Her PAK was yelling at her for repairs and rest, her instinct was telling her to turn and fight, only her greater intelligence and will power kept her going. She hit the button for the door, retracted her PAK legs, and walked calmly out in front of her crew.

"Listen up you goo sacks!" She bellowed. "We have a dangerous fugitive loose on the ship." The whole crew was staring at her with expressions she couldn't quite read; she shoved off the thought and continued, "A Taller that has plotted against the empire is headed this way. He is armed and dangerous. When he arrives here you are to shoot on sight. Am I clear?" The eyes of the soldiers got very serious and they nodded glancing around between one another.

"Good now # !$# !$#...

Tak was cut off as the door was blasted off its slider. A chunk of it slammed into her back and knocked her down the short stairs to the control room main floor. She turned back to look at Zim standing in the doorway. The bloodlust in his eyes hadn't changed. "Well what are you all waiting for!?" She yelled at her crew as she dragged herself out from under the door. The door was too heavy and her boot got caught on a broken shard leaving her stuck.

She turned back to look at her pursuer. Zim took a step forward. Why was no one shooting? A smile crossed her face as two soldiers, the best fighters on her crew, stepped out blocking her from Zim's view. _Show him what it means to cross me!_ She yelled in her head.

Zim stared coldly at the soldiers blocking his path. He charged his laser. "Get out of my way or else." That was not a threat, it was a promise.

Tak laughed from behind the burly guards, "HA! Zim do you really think you can take on Irk's best fighters?"

Zim just showed a cold smirk, "trust me when I say that they are not Irk's best in combat."

"What are you talking about you fool?!" Tak was starting to get angry that no one had shot him yet.

Zim looked at the soldiers once more; neither of their expressions had changed in the slightest. "This is the last time I will be nice about it, Move now or die."

"You just Try to take them on Zim! You'll se…" Tak was interrupted as someone else spoke. It took her a moment to realize it was the guards in front of her.

"Sir you need to calm down now. Put the weapon away and let her stand trial. We have confirmed orders from the Almighty Tallests. We know your situation and we have orders to take her back alive."

Both Tak and Zim were shocked. Tak could feel a lump in her throat growing and couldn't speak. Zim, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes at the soldiers.

"A trial will not fix the damage she has done!" Zim snarled at them, his antennae dangerously flat against his head.

"Come now Zim… Listen to the poor goo sacks. They're terrified of you as it is." The new voice held a mocking tone. The captain's chair swiveled around and reviled the Resisty Captain sitting comfortably up on the high seat. He smiled down at Zim, until he noticed something in Zim's eyes that was different. Lard Nar leaned forward nervously and asked, "Did something happen?"

Zim averted his eyes to stare angrily at Tak. Lard Nar jumped down from the seat with amazing agility and rushed to step between the two Irkens. "You can't kill her or everything that's happened between the Tallests' can't be proven."

"You can use her PAK data for that," Zim hissed as he charged his laser. "Get out of the way Lard Nar!"

"I most certainly will not! Not until you tell me what the blazes she has done to enrage you like this!" The Vortian stared up at his ally, refusing to yield. For a moment, Zim just stared coldly. Then a change came over him, one that Lard Nar wished he hadn't seen. Zim started crying.

The Irken closed his eyes shut tight trying to hold back the tears and turned his face away. He tried to steady his voice but found it impossible, "Kam… Tak killed her… My wife and unborn child are gone."

Lard Nar's eyes widened in horror. After their ship had been captured he'd been separated from the Earthling when she was taken to a medical ward. They had been reunited while being transported to Tak's ship. He had struggled like hell against his bindings, to the point that one of the guards kicked him in the stomach, but Kam had just sat quietly. When he had recovered his breath from that short assault he snarled at her asking how she could just sit there. The Human had shocked him when she smiled bravely and told him, "Zim will never let a friend die."

After she said this, the Vortian allowed himself to trust that the plan would succeed. The fact that she was smiling even with everything she was going through…. He couldn't help but trust her…. But to find out that now she's gone. Lard Nar turned and jumped past the Irken Guards and kicked Tak in the face. The guards reached out to grab him but he waved them off. "I'll make sure I have a front row seat at your execution," he told her before turning back to Zim. During the three weeks after the incident on his ship, the humans Dib and Kam had become to him like members of his crew, and by association, so had Zim.

"She will stand trial. Killing her now will not bring the earthling back. It will only cause you more grief." He watched as Zim raised his arm up to cover his face, wiping the tears away on his sleeve. After a few moments Zim's laser powered down. Lard Nar turned to the Irken soldiers, "Get her out of here."

Tak didn't even struggle as she was picked up and dragged away to a holding cell.

The soldiers found it strange being commanded by a Vortian but since Tallest Red had allowed it, they made no arguments as he directed them to return to their home planet. All of them kept their eyes on their work trying desperately to avoid looking over at the Taller standing in the corner. Their PAKs were programed to help them hold back minor emotions, seeing their fellow Irken's tears wrenched at all of their squeedlyspooches. They could feel the extreme loss he had just gone through, and not a single one of them would berate him for his weakness.

* * *

_Story is wrapping up. Not many chapter's left now. I can see the ending and I don't know how much I like it. Now that Tak is defeated all the intense parts are pretty much done with. I really hope everyone has enjoyed this story as much as I have and I hope you all will continue to enjoy it to the very end.  
Leave Reviews!_


	53. Analysis and Reassessment

_**A/N: **LEAVE COMMENTS! Chapter 55 is the final chapter!(well 56 if u add the epilogue)! I'm running out of chances to get opinions on my story. Please note there will possibly be an alternate ending that switches in the middle of this chapter. If you wish to read it, watch for my stories because I'm not sure if I will post it as a new chapter or as a separate story._

_Please Review!_

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**Chapter 53 – Analysis and Reassessment**

When Dib and Kark arrived at the Irken home world they were shocked to receive a transmission from a soldier. He instructed them where to land their ship and even met them there to act as their escort to Center Tower. The two followed behind the soldier nervously; the Irkens they saw were staring and murmuring amongst themselves as they watched the aliens pass by. It had not taken long for Tallest Red's message to get out through the city. Everyone wanted to get a look at the creatures that had brought an end to Operation Impending Doom.

They walked in silence until they reached the tower. It was then that they saw a familiar face and they relaxed a bit. The little purple-eyed smeet walked up and saluted them, looking adorable in his small grey uniform.

"Greetings Respected Ambassadors!" Zak said smiling up at them.

Dib raised an eyebrow, staring at the blurry green shape in front of him. "Ambassadors?" he questioned. Zak smiled and nodded.

"My Almighty Tallests Red and Purple have requested your presence in the conference room. Everyone else has already arrived… well almost everyone." He didn't give Dib time to question that before he reached up and took both their hands leading them up into the tower.

They reached the conference room much more quickly on account of taking the elevator and not the vents. As they walked in Zak released their hands and ran over to salute the Almighty Tallests who sat at the opposite side of the table. Lard Nar turned as the door slid open and smiled.

"Well look who finally made it back." He jumped down from his seat and went over to greet them. He and Kark clasped fore arms. "I am glad you're safe," he whispered. Kark saluted her Captain and turned to look around the table. There were individuals of several species from some of the planets conquered by the Irkens; most likely prisoners of war that had already been in the city, brought up as temporary representatives until their home worlds could be contacted. There was one person missing from the table.

"Where's Zim?" Kark asked her leader. His eyes darkened and he looked away.

Tallest Red stood up and interjected, "We were just about to watch Zim's PAK recording of what happened between him and Tak, along with what the smeet Zak has to add, if you would care to join us."

Kark nodded but Dib just shook his head. "I can't see anything without my glasses. So unless someone found them earlier, I'd like to go look for them. Kind of tired of being blind." The Irken leaders glanced at each other, confused by why he couldn't see, but Red just instructed a soldier to go with Dib to find the glass-things.

He found them quickly enough, though one of the lenses had a crack in it. When he returned to the room he saw the red irken leader holding a remote, fast-forwarding through the video feed. He looked around the room and saw many of the faces looked like they were going to be sick. He took a seat next to Kark and asked, "What'd I miss?" The Vortian merely shook her head and didn't answer. She also looked ready to vomit.

Red started the video again after Zak spoke out that they reached the point where he had entered. Altogether, it took several hours; but with collaboration from Dib, Kark, Blert and Zak as well as with recordings from Zim's and Tak's PAKs they were able to piece together a full timeline of events, from the day that Zim tried to hack the smeet factory, to the moment of Tak's arrest. A collective shock had gone through the room as they saw Tak destroy the computer, and no one uttered a sound as Zim's playback spoke of Kam's death.

Red turned off the video and shook his head. "This turned into one vort of a mess…" he muttered.

"That it did," Lard Nar agreed. "But would you mind not using my planet as a curse word?" he asked with more annoyance in his voice than anything else.

The Irken leader cocked an antenna at him, "Actually I don't mind using it at all," he said and shrugged. Purple sensed the growing tension between the rival leaders.

"Well I think that's enough for today. We should all rest until tomorrow. There's a lot of negotiation to be done and of course planets to contact; Red and I will take care of that last part," he added. Red just sat resting his head on his hand and watched his fellow leader give orders to make the aliens comfortable. He still wasn't sure this was what he wanted but he didn't plan on being the Tallest that caused the fall of their species like he nearly had been.

As the gathering broke up and he watched all the different aliens being led away to their rooms for the night, Dib got up and walked over to the Irken leaders. "Zim didn't show for the whole meeting, you wouldn't happen to know where I could find him?"

The two Tallests looked at one another. The red tallest reached up to place his hand on his head, he closed his eyes like he was getting a migraine. The purple irken smiled sadly and put his hand comfortingly on his counterpart's shoulder guard before turning back to Dib.

"Zim is off planet on his way to a secure location. He's headed to get his height re-evaluated by the Control Brains. They're the ones that enforce the laws of our planet." He was kind about it but even he was nervous of what that defective idiot could do if he was named tallest. The height difference between Zim and the current Tallests was too close to visibly tell. The Control Brains would have the final say in the fate of their race.

XXXX

Zim stared out the window of the transport ship. Skoodge sat on the opposite couch with his feet propped up next to Zim looking as comfortable as if he were on the Universes most comfortable couch however he far from it. Neither of them had said a word the whole trip and the silence was beginning to make Skoodge's antennae itch.

"So…" he said trying to break the silence. "Becoming Tallest… did you ever think it would actually happen after all this?" Zim's eyes narrowed but other than that, he made no response. Skoodge's antennae dropped. He wasn't used to quiet… especially not from Zim.

He didn't really understand the whole concept of 'Love' that humans had. Sure he had spent a good deal of time on Earth interacting with the species. Over the years Skoodge had gotten to know their habits and customs rather well… Love was the only one he had trouble understanding. He wished now that he had cared more to learn about it. Maybe knowing something about it would tell him what was going on in Zim's head.

"We're nearly there my Tallers," their pilot called to the back of the ship.

Skoodge looked out the window at the upcoming planet. He was surprised to see planet Blorch, the place he himself had conquered for the Empire. Considering it was now a Parking Structure Planet, it seemed an odd place for Tallest Red to hide the Control Brains; but maybe that was the whole idea. _Been a long time since I've been here…_ He thought to himself.

"So what will you do after all this is over?" Skoodge turned to look at Zim, who was still staring out the window with an empty look in his eyes.

Skoodge folded his hands behind his head and slouched in his chair, "Not really sure. I only went back home because an energy spike fried my computers. I might go back to earth. It's a nice enough place once you get used to the rain. Then again I may have to stick around. I heard a new Tallest is getting installed and I thought maybe he could use some help." He smiled encouragingly over at his friend. Zim's face only darkened. Skoodge sighed and shook his head. "You're on your way to possibly becoming leader of our race. Try and cheer up…"

Zim just shook his head before turning to look back into the ship. "I haven't actually wanted to be Tallest for a long time."

"So what will you do if you are named Tallest?" Skoodge asked.

Zim sighed, "Repair the damage I guess... I'll probably go talk to all the planets that were targeted by the empire and see what can be done to restore planetary relations."

"Will you go to Earth?"

Zim just shook his head, "Earth was never officially targeted. Even if I was there, the people of that planet never knew." He turned to stare out the window again, "besides… going back there would be too painful."

The pair sat in silence as the ship docked; they stopped right next to a giant door with a large picture of a brain on it. Inside the room Technicians scurried around preparing the control brains, plugging them into added memory systems to avoid another meltdown like the first time they messed with Zim's PAK. It was Varshlez that came up to assist them. He smiled at Zim.

"Congratulations on your success I do hope there will be more moments like it in the future," he scratched the base of his antenna, "Perhaps with less of the life threatening parts though. Come right this way."

Skoodge was the first one to be plugged in and reassessed. He was about one and a half kliks shorter than that of the current Tallests. He shrugged as he walked away, "Hadn't really expected to be taller than them. You're turn," he said, trying to pull Zim out of that spaceyness which his mind was currently occupying.

The control brains flinched as they saw Zim but with some reassurance from Varshlez and the other Technicians they agreed to plug into his PAK. The results were in: Zim was 0.2 kliks Taller than the Irkens Red and Purple. He was now Tallest.


	54. Reunited Again For the First Time!

_**A/N:**__ Second to last chapter! Sorry I ended up starting to write two different endings before publishing chapter 53, so at the moment the entire story is finished. I'm going to save the last two chapters for later but I don't want people hating this story because of how that last chapter ended. _

_Review Please!_

* * *

**Chapter 54 – Reunited for the First Time! Again!**

A week later Zim stood getting fitted for his new Tallest's uniform. The chest plate felt tight around his torso and the arm guards were uncomfortably heavy. Not to mention they didn't have holes for his thumbs, since those were about to be cut off. Even though it was annoying, Zim didn't complain through the whole fitting, and as soon as it was done he headed back up to the conference room to see if any progress had been made in his absence; of course none had.

Each conquered planet wanted retribution for all the lives they had lost, but with Red and Purple acting as advisors there was little compromise. The proud Irken leaders had barely been forced to apologize for their actions; it was only by Zim's threats of what he'd make them do after he became Almighty Tallest that they reluctantly had.

Zim entered the conference room to find Red and Lard Nar in a shouting match. He said nothing as he walked over and slumped into the open chair next to Dib. "Have they been like this the whole time?" Zim asked. Dib just made a half smile and shrugged his shoulders.

Zim swiveled his chair around, "GIR," he called to the robot hanging out in the corner of the room playing with a rubber duck. The Sir unit ran over eagerly, ready to try again to make his master smile. He stopped in front of Zim, saluting with his eyes closed and that same old stupid smile. Zim eyed the robot suspiciously before saying, "I need you to go find Kark and Zak. Do you understand?"

GIR's eyes flashed red, "Yes, My Master!" He said before running happily out of the room. Zim watched him go before turning back to the table and resting his head in his hands. He felt grateful that Irken's don't get headaches. He turned to whisper to Dib.

"When they get here, tell them I said only Zak and Kark can talk for Vort and Irk and that if Red or Lard Nar opens their giant muffin-holes the guards are to escort them to a prison cell," Zim said as he stood up. Red was still officially Almighty Tallest but the guards were more likely to listen to Zim now to get on his good side.

Dib watched as Zim walked past, "Okay but where are you going?" Zim just waved him off without actually saying anything. Arguments were the last thing he felt like dealing with at the moment.

Zim had been gone for ten minutes when the entire conference room was silenced by an incoming Plookesian signal.

XXXX

Wandering the streets of Irk wasn't as relaxing as he had hoped it would be. Every few seconds a new irken came up to pay their respects to the soon-to-be Almighty Tallest. He had been outfitted with a temporary uniform before his official installment and it made him stick out like a really tall sore thumb.

After a while, Zim ducked down a side street. He wandered around for some time not paying attention to where he was going. When he looked up he saw himself at the city's smeet factory. Not having anything better to do, he went inside.

He watched the Technicians and Medics at work repairing broken machinery as well as attempting to restore proper growth levels. One of them sat near a completely destroyed computer trying to see what was salvageable. The Irkens greeted the Tallest but quickly returned to their work, occasionally answering questions from their future leader regarding the levels of damage to the growing smeets.

One Medic was caught very much off guard when his leader asked if a PAK would be functional for a half-irken/alien hybrid. The medic thought for a moment staring at his clipboard. "If there is Irken blood then the PAK would be somewhat necessary for activation. How much effect the alien DNA would have on the smeet would definitely depend on the species; but theoretically if the PAK were attached there would be nothing stopping the smeet from having a normal existence." The poor medic was even further obfuscated when the Tallest offered a short 'thanks' and walked away looking saddened.

Zim stood on one of the upper decks of the smeet factory for a long time. Two smeets were released from their Pods during that time and he forced himself to hold back the tears as he watched them be sent off to the Underground Training School. He tried to keep himself from thinking of what his unborn smeet would have looked like. After a while he turned his back to the main floor and leaned against the railing.

He stood there for a while staring at the walls before a commotion on the main floor caught his attention.

"We need those PAKs ready the moment they arrive!" The factory Coordinator yelled. He pointed out two medics, "You two! Get your gear ready! They'll need a full scan before activation and you've got about 2 minutes to get it done." The Medics saluted and hurried off.

Zim stared down at the chaos. He hurried down to where the Coordinator was. "What's going on?" he asked.

The Coordinator looked up at him in surprise. He had not been aware the new Tallest was in his factory. The elder irken smiled at his future leader. Turning back to his clipboard he explained, "A special circumstance is on its way here. You'll probably be interested so it would be best if you stuck around; but better if you stay out of the way."

Zim flattened his antennae at the disrespectful remark but shuffled off to lean up against a wall where he would be unlikely to cause any disturbances. After a few minutes an alarm sounded and the roof of the complex opened up revealing a Plookesian cargo ship preparing to land. The ship lowered itself in the center of the floor. When the main hatch opened, Medics and Technicians alike ran aboard carrying all sorts of gear as well as two brand new PAKs.

Zim couldn't resist a closer look so he headed over and into the alien ship. The first thing he saw was the Technicians and Medics surrounding two green time stasis fields. Inside the fields floated two small irken smeets. Zim stared at them in confusion before he felt something smash into his side knocking him into the wall.

He looked down into the brown head of hair that had its face smashed into his chest. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away to look at her face; just in case he was seeing one of Dib's ghosts. He pulled her back into a hug. It was the second time he had ever cried, as he stood there holding Kam; he felt so happy that he never wanted to let her go.

"Sorry I'm late," Kam said with her face buried in his chest. "We had to find a planet that knew how to help with live births." Zim hugged her even tighter.

"I'm just glad you made it back."

The two were still holding each other when a Medic came up and coughed to get their attention. He bowed to Zim and reported, "The two PAKs have been successfully attached. Their physical conditions are stabilized and the smeets are ready to be activated." Zim stared in shock before looking back at his wife.

"Smeets…?" he questioned.

Kam smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "Twins. Who would've guessed?"

"Commencing activation! Stand clear!" one technician yelled. The stasis fields switched off, then one second of high voltage later and two strange looking smeets sat up to observe the world around them.

The tiny female with human colored skin was the first to stand up. She walked over to her brother and stared at him with her big blue Irken eyes. Her own curled antennae moved up and down as if testing what they were, then she yanked at one of his antenna; she was quickly snatched up by her father. She stared up at him, looking confused as to why she had been picked up.

The male smeet who had just had his antenna painfully pulled at, looked like he was ready to cry. His human-like pink eyes welled with tears which were only quelled by his mother's warm embrace; her pale pink skin contrasting with his own green shade.

As the parents were getting acquainted with their new bundles of joy, a technician came up and suggested the smeets be sent for programing. Kam rejected this idea immediately, saying they would be made to learn like human children when they returned to earth because she'd go insane if she had to deal with three emotion-incompetent Irkens.

"Ah… Yeah about Earth…" Zim fidgeted nervously, while struggling to keep his new daughter from squirming out of his grasp.

"Well aren't those two the most different things you've ever seen? Whatcha think Turl?" Xort walked into the back of the ship staring at the new family. He did a bit of a double take when he saw Zim, "Hey ain't you that repair guy from before?" he turned back to give Turl a confused look, "Now how the blorch did you know that he was the one who sent that signal?"

Turl looked from Zim to Kam to the Smeets, then back to Xort, "I made a typo."

Xort stared at him. "You made a what?" he asked.

"A mistake in your original broadcast requesting assistance," Kam chimed in. Zim stared at his wife, confused. She shrugged and explained how she had sent the Plookesian signal exactly the same as the one they had received back on earth, because she didn't know how to write in plookesian.

Zim and Xort were still confused when Dib arrived at the factory along with the current Almighty Tallests, Kark, Lard Nar and half of the Resisty crew; many of whom started fawning over the new babies.

"DAWww! Look at how CUTE they are!" exclaimed Shlooktapoxis. Red and Purple just stared at the smeets awkwardly.

"They look… not smart…" Purple said in his usual 'states the truth' manner. While Red would normally say something to cover for him, he was too much in agreement to say anything.

Everyone laughed when Zim set his daughter on the ground and she ran over to stand in front of Red; her arms lifted high signaling she wanted to be picked up. They laughed even more when the Tallest tried to shoo her away and she grabbed onto his arm guard. The little smeet looked extremely happy with herself as they all headed back to Center Tower and she was being carried by her new Uncle Red; her brother sat atop the head of the weird purple cone.

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_I'm not totally evil enough to kill her. I mean come on! I could have killed Dib at least 5 times during this story and I didn't do that either! I worked hard to make Kam! Plus I have some evil plans for Zim with these two smeets!_

_**Images of the two smeets**__ are available on my deviant Art account. The picture is a spoiler for a story that's going to come eventually -Evil Laugh- Muahahaha! _

_REVIEW!_


	55. The New Almighty Tallest

_**A/N: **__Sorry I read another story that had this ceremony in it and I liked her ideas so I'm borrowing some of them. Not all cause insane Zim can't let anything run smoothly. I also hope I got Red and Purple back to their canon personalities in this chapter. I tried to keep them there through the whole thing but you'll have to be the judge of that. _

_This is the Final full chapter! After this is the Epilogue and then my 3 months of fun come to an end... D: What will I use for procrastinating from my homework if I don't have this story!? Oh right I have other stories. :D _

_Enjoy this chapter! Epilogue will be released tomorrow! You all have to read that because it answers the big question that I'm sure you're all dying to know. "Why were the Almighty Tallests Fighting?"_

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**Chapter 55 – The Almighty Tallest**

"You sure you're ready for this?" Kam questioned as she helped Zim put on his Tallest Armor. The breast plate snapped in place. All that was left was to get the hover-disk from the technicians.

Zim turned and stroked his wife's face. "It's what I have to do," he told her.

The door pushed itself open to reveal Red standing there, "Hey Zim how much longer you plan to keep everyone waiting." Since Zim's return Red had gone about teaching Zim everything about what it means to be Tallest, most of which Zim disregarded since it had to do with organizing the army. Even so Red's management skills were nothing to sneeze at and Zim was glad to have him around; though he feared the former leader's reaction to what was about to happen.

"Of course not My Tallest," Zim said bowing to Red, who scoffed at the title.

"You just had to be the last irken to call me that didn't you… Doesn't matter how many years pass Zim. You're still as annoying as ever," and he turned and walked out of the room. Zim just laughed.

"He's not going to just go along with this…" Kam commented nervously as she fixed the uniform collar.

Zim kissed her on the forehead, "He really doesn't have a choice. I'm Tallest remember?"

Kam shook her head, "You Irkens have some strange customs." She leaned in and the two of them kissed; they then headed into the next room where the current Tallests were waiting with a Technician.

Zim took a seat on the couch. The Technician bowed and set to work attaching Zim's hover-disk, while showing him how to take it on and off at the same time. Red watched the technician work while Purple just sat and ate from a bag of doughnuts.

"Take your time standing up," Red instructed after the technician had finished. "These things take some time to get used to. Also they run off of your PAK's energy so you'll have to get used to always having some food within reach."

"Right…" Zim said as he slowly stood up. He struggled to balance himself and ended up falling back down on the couch. Purple started laughing until Red smacked him in the head.

"Concentraite on your PAK; the hover-disk is similar to your PAK legs" Red told him. Zim knew the Taller was trying to be helpful but the way he spoke made it sound like he still thought Zim was an incompetent Defective.

It took nearly an hour before Zim was stable enough that he could try floating around the room, and then another hour before Red was satisfied Zim wouldn't fall on his butt in front of everyone at the Installment Ceremony.

The size of the crowd of Irkens was mind-boggling. There was even an area set up for any aliens that wished to see the goo-sack they would now be dealing with; many of the planets were still untrusting of the Irkens. The roars of cheering from the crowd vibrated his antennae, as Zim floated to the pillar where the 'test' of his abilities would occur. He waited while Tallests Red and Purple floated out to address the crowd.

"As your current Almighty Rulers, it is our.." Red flinched at the next word, "pleasure to present before you all, your new Tallest Zim, as he now takes our place for the go.." again Red struggled at his words, "Good of the Irken race. As of now, I, Almighty Tallest Red, do hereby relinquish my position as Almighty Tallest with the full knowledge that from this day forth my rein is ended in making the way for new growth of our Race." When he finished he looked over at Purple who had spaced out and elbowed him.

"huh… Oh! And I also, Almighty Tallest Purple, relinquish my position… with full knowledge… growth of are race. LET'S CUT OFF HIS THUMBS!" The cheering got really loud again. Zim swallowed hard wondering where in the world this barbaric custom came from.

Zim knew he was supposed to stare straight forward but he took a quick glance at his friends standing behind him. Kam stood nervously ready to look away when the actual 'test' began. Dib stood to her left and put a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. To Kam's right, Skoodge stood wondering if Zim would be able to manage without thumbs, he also wondered how the now former-Tallests would deal with it. Kark and Lard Nar stood to Skoodge's right as honored guests from planet Vort.

Zim turned to look straight ahead again as the medic came up. It was all Zim could do to not flinch as his thumbs were sliced off. His hands were quickly covered to stem the bleeding, then a soldier came forward and helped the new Almighty Tallest to snap on his arm guards. His hands slid inside them perfectly now. Once they were secured, Zim followed Red's instructions to the letter. He turned to face the crowd, then raised his hands slowly. The crowd was silenced.

"Through this pain I have demonstrated my worth as your new Almighty Ruler. Will you Accept Me?!" he asked. The response was deafening, automatic approval. Zim raised one hand to make his first statement as Almighty ruler, _hope they aren't too mad after this, _he thought to himself, before continueing.

"As you are all aware, an incident occurred with one of the previous Tallests," Zim noticed Red fold his arms and hunch his shoulders nervously. "This incident nearly tore our world in two. If it was not for the acts of his counterpart, the situation may never have been resolved. As my first act as Almighty Tallest, I wish to make a formal change to our laws. That it is not Only the Tallest Irken that shall rule, but also the Second Tallest as well!"

The whole hall was silent at Zim's words. Never before had an Almighty Tallest WILLINGLY shared power. Everyone was shocked. Red and Purple stared at Zim slack-jawed. Only Kam knew the true motivation behind it.

Zim continued to say, "For the safety and preservation of our race I request that the Irken Taller known as Skoodge assist me in the management of our Planet, so that, should one of us fail, the other will be there to repair the damage." When he had finished Zim just sat and listened. The idea had already been immediately allowed by the Control Brains, who were nervous about Zim ruling the planet alone. The only thing left was to receive approval from the crowd. Zim's antennae twitched with anticipation.

For a moment he feared the Irkens would not accept it, but then one slow clap from a blue-eyed soldier grew into a ferocious roar so loud that it could be heard on the other side of the planet. Zim smiled and raised both his hands waving at the crowd. He turned back to look at Skoodge.

The poor shocked irken had his eyes wide open in pure terror. Zim had given him no heads-up on what he had planned and the once-bullied-former-invader stood there with no idea what he was supposed to do. Red saw this also and quickly went to take control of the situation, acting as if he had known the plan all along.

"There will be a second Installation Ceremony 5 days from now." The former-leader was still good at his job and settled everything smoothly which was good since Zim hadn't really thought out what he would say after the idea was accepted. The ceremony ended without further unexpected moments.

As the group left the stage Zim received a mix of reactions. Red punched him for not following the script he had made. Purple sat back and smiled until Red had floated away, then he congratulated Zim on the first smart idea of his existence. Dib laughed at how Zim was just as crazy as ever and Kam ran up and gave her husband a loving hug. Lard Nar and Kark paid their respects and complemented him on a 'wise decision.'

Poor Skoodge just stood there in utter shock. It wasn't until the others had finished that he managed to voice his question, "Why…?"

Zim shrugged and glanced over at the two Former Tallests to make sure they were busy talking amongst themselves. They had gone over for the celebratory doughnut tray that a service drone had brought in. Zim turned back to Skoodge, "Kam wants raise the smeets on Earth. If I was stuck here as Almighty Tallest I wouldn't be able to go with them. If I have a second Tallest to also be in charge I can raise them there then give them the choice when they're older where they want to live. Earth years are shorter so it really won't seem like I'm gone all that long." He stood back to gauge Skoodge's reaction. His friend just shook his head.

"Okay but why not use either Red or Purple for that?"

"Would you really try to make one of them more powerful than the other? If they were not evenly matched their whole life not only would they end up killing each other, but also the author of this fan fiction would have a mob of angry fan girls screaming for her head."

Skoodge laughed, "Yeah I guess that would be bad." He stood Tall and saluted his new Almighty Tallest. "Then I shall do my best Sir for the good of the mission! Hoorah!" he said in a mock imitation of the last time he had truthfully saluted the Tallests after he had conquered Blorch. The two smiled at each one another then hurried off to get some doughnuts before Red and Purple could eat them all.


	56. Epilogue

_**Go to my profile and take a POLL on WHAT STORY I SHOULD DO NEXT!**_

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_**A/N:**__ Thank you to everyone that stuck with my story for so long. The Word document I have for this story is a whopping 126 pages long! I can't believe it only took me three months to write. Time sure flies when you're bringing Doom down on the doomed heads of your almost doomed characters._

_I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. The epilogue answers the two big questions that I've known about, and kept the answers, hidden for the entire length of the story. I really hope you get a kick out of them. _

_**Why were the Tallests Fighting?** and What are the smeet's names?  
Leave a comment if you correctly guessed what the fight was about. There were hints going back through most of the story as to the cause but they were so subtle. I applaud you if you figured it out._

_Enjoy the Final chapter of Return To Irk!_

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**Epilogue – The Question you've all been Waiting For!**

Skoodge's installment ceremony had just ended and the whole group was back in the conference room figuring out the last of the details on how the empire would be run.

Red slouched back in his chair letting out a heavy sigh, "When is this mess going to be over with…" he wondered aloud.

"Look on the bright side," Purple said as he dug through his bag of chips for the last few broken pieces. Zim, who was sitting on the floor with the twins, looked up at the conversation. Red eyed his friend.

"There's a bright side?"

Purple shrugged, "You can finally take that vacation I set up for you way back when." Red sat up and looked over at him confused.

"What vacation?"

"The one I suggested that day when you first accused me of being a traitor."

Red blinked. "Wait you were serious about that?"

Purple cocked an antenna at him and with an indignant tone asked, "Why would I have not been?" The former tallest folded his arms angrily. "I was planning to apologize for getting mad at you even though it was your fault. I decided to forgive you cause I remembered how you hadn't taken a vacation since we first became Tallest. You hadn't even been back on Irk since Operation Impending Doom 2 started."

Red's antennae dropped and he looked away, "About the fight… I'm really sorry… if I had known…"

"Hey now that you mention it," Skoodge interrupted from the other side of the table. "What were you guys fighting over anyway?" All eyes were on the two former Tallests. Red and Purple looked at each other.

When Red looked away, Purple pointed one of his long fingers and exclaimed, "He ate my doughnut!" No one made a sound. No one was really sure how to react. Finally Zim asked what they were all thinking.

"That's all?"

Purple turned and stared at him angrily. "Whadya mean 'that's all?' I ordered that doughnut special right after I became Tallest! It finally arrived then he ate it!"

Red just put his hand to his head and closed his eyes, "here we go again…"

"Umm… was the doughnut special?" Dib asked curiously.

Purple nodded, "I sent someone to find me the Universes Most Delisious Doughnut. Three Irk years later and the soldier finally returns but I wasn't on the massive at the time and when I came back I found Red eating my doughnut!"

"You already sent the guy to go out and find a new one… I thought you said you'd gotten over it…" Red wanted to get up and punch Purple but not only did he know he would lose but also he couldn't get up because one of Zim's hybrid smeets had climbed up onto his lap. The little male had gotten up with his tiny PAK legs and now sat staring across the table at all the faces. So Red was forced to settle with glaring at Purple.

In order to further discourage the fight Zim stood up and dumped his daughter into Purple's lap. The two little smeets laughed when they saw each other. Red and Purple had to grab them to keep them from falling to the ground while trying to reach one another. Neither of them would admit it but they had gotten attached to the strangely-stupid-yet-very-curious human/irken smeets during the past few days.

"So.. umm… Zim…" Red began as he fondly tickled the little boy making him laugh adorably, "Since these two didn't go to programing that means they don't have names encoded."

"Yes I was wondering about that as well," Lard Nar commented.

Zim looked up at the table; now all eyes were on him. "Oh right, I guess Kam and I never told anyone their names." Kam was currently off making arrangements for the return trip home.

"So what are they?" Kark stood up on her seat excitedly.

Zim looked walked over to stand between the two former Tallests, "This little guy is Larkz," he said poking his son in the stomach with one of his two long fingers. "And his sister is Jenni, Kam wanted one of them to have a more human name and since it's irken but sounds similar to a human name.." Zim shrugged.

"Where did the name Larkz come from?" Zak asked. He'd been playing the big brother to them even though he was the same size.

Zim smirked, "We picked that one together. "Lar from Lard Nar, K from Kark, and Z from Zak."

Dib looked up from his seat, "Hey what about me?"

"What about you?" Kam asked as she came into the room and walked over to greet her little babies.

"How come one of them isn't named after me?"

Kam was smiling tickling her daughter as she answered, "you'll be seeing them on earth everyday won't you?"

"Oh."

"Are we allowed to come to visit them?" Zak asked eagerly. Purple commented that Zak had to get through Underground Smeet training before he went off planet which made the little smeet look toward Kam sadly. She just laughed.

"So long as you don't get noticed by any humans I don't see why that would be a problem. Zim?" Kam looked up at him right as he bit into a waffle from the giant plate GIR had just run over with.

"Mmm? Moh ahts vine," he mumbled with his mouth full.

XXXX

Two days later a brand new multi-passenger ship was packed up with everything Zim would need to build a new larger base. In this new ship the trip would only take them two Earth weeks, and they planned to make a stop at planet Xlferk so Dib could say hi to his friend and Zim could thank the Planet for their assistance.

Once they were ready to leave Zim and Kam practically had to pry the twins away from the former-Tallests who then shyly requested to also be allowed to come visit. The departure was delayed so that Zim could leave them information they would need if they planned to land on earth and not be discovered.

Zim was changed into his spare Earth-clothing; his Tallest Uniform packed neatly into the cruiser, when he clasped fore-arms with Skoodge and wished him luck. It was a bit awkward since neither of them were used to their lack of thumbs yet. "You can always call if something happens," Zim told his friend, ignouring Red's comment that Skoodge was the more capable of the two.

With their goodbyes said, they took off in their new ship and met their escorts in the upper atmosphere. A small fleet of Irken ships as well as the Resisty ship, agreed to accompany the Tallest to the boarder of the former Irken territory. The Flerkosians insisted that they be allowed to convey them the rest of the way but Zim was adamant that a large fleet would attract the attention of the Earthlings. There was one that he failed to talk out of following them all the way to earth. Kark decided she wanted to start a catalogue of species and languages in the universe and proudly informed them she would be beginning her studies on Earth.

As they flew in the space between Xlferk and the Milky Way Galaxy, Kam came into the control room where Zim sat staring out the window.

"I'm so ready to get home." She said as she took a seat next to him. The two leaned over and kissed.

"So am I," Zim agreed. Then a thought occurred to him and Kam stared at him, confused, as his antennae dropped in shock.

"What's wrong?" She asked when Zim abruptly stood up.

"I just realized…" he said throwing his arms up in the air. "I finally did it! I took over a planet… If I'm calling Earth my home and I now control Irk, then that means I actually did my job as an Invader!" Dib and Kark poked their heads in from the back room, carrying the twins, when they heard Zim yelling, "VICTORY! VICTORY FOR ZIM!"

**The End **(Possible alternate ending may be on the way)

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**Congratulations!  
**You've made it all the way to the end of my insanely long story! Well guess what!? It's not over yet! I can't just let those two little smeets sit there without ever doing anything to mess with their childhood! Jenni and Larkz will have their moment if I have anything to say about it! **Check out my deviantArt for the cover image **to my hopefully soon to come** New Story: Idiot's Guide to Babysitting!**

Special thanks to my friend Jenni! She doesn't read IZ or even know I used her name in it but when I had a few really crappy weeks while working on this story she really helped me through them. Her passion for Dr. Who, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Sherlock all inspired me to be passionate about this story!

Also a big thank you to all of you fans who left comments! You were my other big inspiration. I never would have finished if I hadn't had you guys! **I love you all!** Thanks again!

-salutes- Invader Kam signing off.


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